Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias, Colwyn Bay, North Wales restaurant review

Despite Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias's credentials as a former AA Restaurant of the Year for Wales, I was still a little bit sceptical about how good it was going to be.

Firstly, because restaurants with great views in tourist destinations are often mediocre. The reason, tourists don’t tend to be repeat customers, and a pretty view is enough to draw anyone in.

Secondly, because celebrity chef-owned restaurants sometimes trade off a star name that only ever pops their head in once a year.

I was immediately proved wrong on the second count because we were informed that Bryn visits the restaurant two or three times a month as well as making regular visits to his other gaffs in Penarth and Switzerland.

The proof would be in the pudding on the first charge…

Situated on Colwyn Bay’s seafront, Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias’s industrial dining room was a striking venue for an Easter Monday lunch. Other people clearly agreed as it was pretty much a full house.

Understandably, the menu is well populated with fish, with most starters costing around £9, mains in the low twenties, and desserts about £9. It’s surprisingly well-priced compared to other bistros we’ve visited lately.

The first bite of a meal is so often an indicator of how good things are going to be and in this case soda bread (£5) was a beacon of hope. Served hot from the oven, the sturdy sliced loaf had lovely sweet caramelised notes and was excellent slathered with whipped salted butter.

Mrs G kicked off with the Scottish scallop (£19.50), a behemoth of a bivalve with caramelised edges whose accompaniments all packed a punch. There was creamy cauliflower puree, earthy pieces of black pudding and a warming curry oil flecked with sweet sultanas and crunchy pine nuts. It was a delicious riff on a classic.

My crab rarebit (£9.20) was a simpler yet equally delicious proposition. Sourdough toast was laden with a thick mustardy cheese sauce enhanced with an earthy hit of brown crab. On top, a mound of sweet, allium-flecked white crab provided a counterpoint to the richness.

Much like the starters (and us), Mrs G went classy and I went basic.

A beautifully cooked whole plaice (£24.50) flaked off the bone with ease. Sat in a pool of beurre noisette with addictive sweet and toasty caramelised notes, pickled shimeji mushrooms, cucumber and capers all brought welcome pops of acidity.

I went for the fish fingers (£18.50) which were served in anything but a kiddies’ tea-sized portion. Three breadcrumbed fillets of coley were commendably crisp and meaty and served alongside a big pot of golden fries and sweet crushed peas.

The kicker, however, was a mahoosive bowl of homemade creamy tartare sauce that was fragranced with dill and zingy pieces of pickle.

We also shared a Caesar salad (£4.10) on the side, which was a naughty little treat. Crisp leaves were coated in an umami-charged anchovy mayo and topped with a flurry of parmesan cheese and crisp Sourdough croutons.

The baked Alaska (£8.70) has been on the menu at Porth Eirias since day one, so it sounded like a sensible order. Light sponge was topped with a dollop of tangy berry jam, a big dollop of smooth vanilla ice cream and coated in light and silky baked meringue which was soft and mallowy in parts and crisp and caramelised elsewhere. This cast iron skillet of indulgence is definitely for those with a sweet tooth and I reckon it could easily have served two people.

Mrs G ordered the lemon curd parfait (£8) from the specials board and it was the winner of the two desserts. A soft, thick and creamy frozen parfait with a lick of lemon acidity was served with a bevy of treats - zingy blobs of lemon curd, freeze-dried sour cherries, crunchy granola and a toasty black sesame tuille.

Despite my trepidation, we had an excellent lunch at Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias. Their technically accomplished and well-priced classical cooking, served in beautiful setting, makes this a celebrity restaurant which most definitely deserves its reputation.

The Details:

Address - Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias, The Promenade, Colwyn Bay, Conwy LL29 8HH

Web - https://portheirias.com/

Telephone - 01492 533700 

The Jackdaw, Conwy, North Wales restaurant review

As a keen twitcher, any restaurant that has a bird for its name is already predisposed to be my kind of place.

Such is the Jackdaw in Conwy, or Jac-do in Welsh, which takes its name from the smallest of crows that nest in the town’s walls and the nickname for someone born in the local area.

It's owned by Nick Rudge, who originally hails from Llandudno, and was a former junior sous chef at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck. The Jackdaw has been high on my list of places to visit ever since it opened back in 2021.

Hidden away above a derelict bingo hall and signposted by just a low-key brass plaque on its door frame, the Jackdaw’s narrow staircase opens into a modern and classy dining room. Several design features are familiar from other contemporary fine-dining restaurants, including fur-lined seats, jars of pickles and dried flower hanging wall decorations.

But the Jackdaw still feels distinctly Welsh, with local influences scattered across the menu and distances from Conwy denoted on the drinks list. Unlike some chefs that take pride in flying in the most expensive ingredients from across the world, Nick tries to use as much Welsh produce as possible.

I started off with a Wild Horse Nokota pale ale (£6.50) from just down the road in Llandudno – it’s always a juicy easy drinker at 3.8% ABV. Mrs G sipped a distinctive yet comforting meadowsweet scented gimlet (£13.50). We also had belting glasses of Ancre Hill pinot noir (£9) from Monmouthshire before finishing up with a slightly further flung Chateau Guiraud 1er cru Sauternes (£15) and Patricius Tokaji (£17 - we both agreed the Tokaji was much better).

But, onto the food and I've rarely come across such confident cooking that shows Wales (and the chef's personality) on a plate instead of the usual fine dining by numbers. During evenings there’s a single ten course tasting menu on offer (£125) whilst on Friday and Saturday lunches, six courses are available for £60.

First up, there was a pretty trio of snacks.

Lady Llannover's salt duck was based on a historic recipe from a classic Welsh cookery book that dates back to the 19th century. Kind of like a duck jamon, its fat melted in the mouth and the flesh glistened.

A delicate AF tart case was filled with clean tasting cured gilthead bream and slices of raw asparagus.

Lastly, a crempog Gwanwyn (Spring pancake) had Welsh taco vibes. The soft and airy pancake was filled with the sweetest of langoustines draped with smoky cured pork belly, as well as vibrant leek and intense langoustine emulsions.

Next up was one hell of a good Welsh rarebit. Crisp, fat rich fried bread, a potent Hafod cheese sauce and tangy Conwy brown sauce all made for a killer mouthful.

After all those decadent snacks it was time for a green juice cleanse. A vivid green nettle and apple marigold broth was garnished with slivers of Wye valley asparagus, creamy goat curd and the funk of Welsh truffle.

The Welsh classics were coming thick and fast at this point and I was fully invested. Especially when the Jackdaw's cawl is the best I've ever eaten by some distance. Amongst the depths of an intensely meaty and rosemary scented broth bobbed sweet and tender salt baked swede, carrot and leek and a cuboid of ridiculously tender lamb.

On the side, more fried bread, this time caraway scented, was topped with a fat rich lamb head mince and slices of zippy pickled onion.

Mrs G had an Anton Ego moment with the next course and was transported back to her days at the Welsh seaside as a kid. A gorgeously flavoured-packed sea lettuce dashi was the essence of seaweed in a bowl. In it nestled the meatiest of caramelised scallops and a variety of briny sea vegetables.

Melt in the mouth, buttery confit trout was paired with a creamy smoke-twanged sauce that was split  with dill oil. A variety of richness balancing accompaniments all played their part - sharp salted rhubarb, pickled mustard seeds, and salty trout roe pearls.

Lastly, a guinea fowl dish was the ultimate chicken dinner. The crisp-skinned juicy slice of bird was served with a glossy truffle fragranced gravy, silky wild garlic puree and earthy morels.

The sweet stuff was just as good as the savoury. Finely diced sweet Anglesey rhubarb jelly was accompanied by smooth and sharp rhubarb ice cream. Nostalgic yet modern, it was a belter of a pre-dessert.

Legend has it that the original recipe for Guinness was inspired by a Welsh tavern in nearby Llanfairfechan and our main dessert took inspiration from this folk story. 

A deeply toasty barley and chocolate ganache, yeast caramel, crunchy barley and malted ice cream all gave the effect of a distinctly Guinness-esque dessert. It was superb.

Finally thick, sticky, liquorice twanged treacle toffee with a scattering of sea salt was a dreamy last mouthful.

The Jackdaw’s combination of epic Welsh cooking without a single misstep, warm and friendly service, and a charming, relaxed setting made it one of the best meals we've ever eaten in Wales. I would say it’s surprising that it doesn’t have a Michelin star but then nothing surprises me about the tyre people anymore.

Book a trip to North Wales on holiday, walk the coast path, spot some seals and mountain goats, drink local beer, visit a few castles and most importantly eat dinner at the Jackdaw. You won't be disappointed.

The Details:

Address - The Jackdaw, High Street, Conwy, LL32 8DB

Web - https://www.thejackdawconwy.co.uk/

Telephone - 01492 596922