Llancarfan, Vale Of Glamorgan. 01446 781287 / www.fandhllancarfan.co.uk
Food **** Atmosphere ***
The Fox & Hounds has always been a bit hit and miss – either brilliant or dreadful, and the opening times a mystery. After a winding drive through the Vale and through the Llancarfan Ford, finding whether it would be open or not was part of the fun. Those days seemed to be behind it as James Milward, formerly of Felin Fach Griffin near Brecon, has taken up the mantle and is slowly transforming the place into a gastropub.
Part of a mini-chain along with Abergavenny’s Coach And Horse, the aim is to be a destination venue with a reputation for having locally sourced fresh food and dishes created daily by James and his team. The once dowdy interior is much brighter, with a cosy bar area and open fire, the restaurant is a bit too bright for my taste, but it’s a vast improvement. The menu on this occasion was perfect for an autumn night: celeriac soup with pickled walnuts, Perl Las with chives, game terrine, langoustine bisque and Welsh rarebit croûte. My dining partner had crispy hen’s egg, Carmarthensire ham, girolles and homemade ketchup, while I had ‘posh prawn cocktail’ with Chase vodka Bloody Mary sorbet… perhaps not ideal for a cold evening.
The main selection is all homemade: fish and chips, pheasant, leek and bacon pie and a selection of fish all brought in fresh from market. Braised local pork belly with champ, purple broccoli, apple purée and cider sauce, and rolled shoulder of local lamb with smoked mash, roast carrots and gravy were our choices with a shared homemade egg custard tart with ginger ice cream and a half bottle of Rioja. With up to six choices for each course, it’s al varied, interesting menu with an appropriately chosen wine list.
There are a few small teething issues, but the vision James and his team have, to be a destination gastro pub, is well on the road to fruition. There is a drive and determination to create a modern take on simple dishes and share his love of cooking. The locals clearly love it, he just needs customers to take a drive to the Vale and enjoy a well thought out menu and the beautiful location right next to a picturesque stream.
words ANTONIA LEVAY