Saturday 12 June 2021

The Black Bear Inn, Usk, Monmouthshire restaurant review 2021


Our last visit to the Black Bear in Usk in March 2019 feels like it was a different lifetime ago.

Back then, this Monmouthshire country pub had only recently opened. Owned by a young couple with plenty of experience in top Bristol restaurants like Bar Buvette and Poco, we were very impressed by a concise menu of refined seasonal cooking and a wine list focusing on the natural and biodynamic. I was keen for a revisit ever since.

In June 2021, the Black Bear is buzzing on a sunny Friday evening and it’s almost as if everything is back to normal except for the extra safety measures.


Mrs G spent the night working her way through a trio of lovely wines by the glass (Cava, Verdejo and rosé) whilst I returned to my traditional role of designated driver and enjoyed a glass of zesty homemade lime cordial and soda.


 House sourdough had a good chew and was lovely slathered with whipped butter.


 We eschewed starters in favour of a quartet of snacks. It was a very wise move.

Top notch Welsh rarebit (£3.75) was topped with a thick ooze of cheese tinged with mustard and beer.


A quartet of golden croquettes (£3.75) exploded with intense cheddar and leeky goodness.


The star of the meal were uber crisp and nutty deep-fried potato skins (£5) which were the perfect shovel for smoked cods roe that was the ideal balance of fish, smoke, cream and salt. 


We both had Anton Ego moments during our first mouthfuls; Mrs G reminisced about childhood visits to TGI Fridays and the loaded potato skin starter whilst I recalled packets of Smith’s Jacket crisps from the leisure centre vending machine.


Juicy chicken wings (£4) would have benefited from crisper skin but they were coated in a compelling sticky drizzle of honey.


Things veered a bit off course with our mains.

I ordered the confit pork belly (£18.50), a replacement for a braised beef dish which was being rubbed off the chalkboard when we arrived. I’m not sure whether its last minute substitute role was the cause of its disappointment but a soft skinned piece of pork belly was dominated by flabby fat with just a few mouthfuls of tender flesh.


It’s a shame because its accompaniments were first rate - a golden stack of confit potato made from thinly sliced buttery layers of spud, sweet and soft charred onion segments, a properly meaty sauce and a good dollop of potent mustard. When I explained the issue to our waiter, he was extremely apologetic and graciously deducted my dessert from the bill.


Mrs G’s main was better. Precisely cooked steamed hake (£18.50) was accompanied by more of those excellent confit potatoes and sat in a vegetal watercress puree. But, the billed tarragon was very subtle and the dish would have benefited from a lift of acidity, perhaps a squeeze of citrus.


A side of buttered greens brought lightness to both dishes (£3.75).


Desserts restored order; they were both excellent.

A steamed rhubarb sponge (£6.50) was everything I want in a pud. A soft and light yet pleasingly sturdy sponge with a golden crusted base was topped with fragrant rhubarb compote and bathed in cold vanilla-fragranced custard.


A cracking cheese selection (£9.50) comprised of grassy Hafod, creamy and socky Brefu Bach and savoury-salty Brunswick Blue, accompanied by super-crisp sourdough crackers and spiced sultana chutney.


Despite the main course hiccups, we had a lovely evening at the Black Bear. It’s the kind of place which I’d love to have as my local pub.

The Details:

Address - The Black Bear Inn, Bettws Newydd, Usk NP15 1JN
Telephone - 01873 880701

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