Restaurant Reviews
Hare & Hounds, Aberthin
For a pre-game treat, it’s hard to beat the Hare & Hounds at Aberthin. And on a day that Wales beat England in the rugby, the savoured memory of our feast will live as long as that splendid sporting feat. The Vale of Glamorgan gourmet-pub was all abuzz with diners clad in country tweeds and rugby shirts. And for an hour or two, the Welsh regional menu fed the flames with hearty flavours. A seasonal rhubarb prosecco and Pirate Bay IPA from Bridgend’s Cold Black Brewery were the perfect preprandial thirst-quenchers. The feast kicked-off with a tasty offering that highlighted Chef Tom WattsJones’ take on nose-to-tail eating. A skewered lamb heart separates the men from the boys and displayed a clinical execution; roasted slowly in balsamic vinegar, rosemary and thyme, it was a masterclass in food seduction. Following the home-made sourdough and focaccia breads, the mushroom soup amûse bouche was as light as a chocolate mousse. Sprinkled with black Welsh truffles and a whisper of cep powder, the umami confection was gone in seconds flat. The choir of flavours gradually rose in fervour with a Jerusalem artichoke tart starter. The rich vegetable foam floated on an indulgent truffle base, encased in a buttery shortcrust pastry. My partner’s mussel and laverbread risotto was a terrific Swansea seafood starter and had us humming ‘Hymns and Arias, Land of My Fathers, Ar Hyd y Nos’. But as with the Welsh rugby team, the best was yet to come – the second half of the lunchtime feast was a outright belter. Having learnt my lesson from an autumn visit to The Heathcock - H&H’s new sisterrestaurant in Llandaf, Cardiff - I plumped for the rump of Torgelly lamb, sourced a few miles away in Llanhari. I cannot sing the praises of this classic enough; between the to-die-for crispy fat, and mellow sweetness of the meat, it is a marriage of Glamorgan flavours made in heaven. The Chateau Marais (a Syrah Grenache blend), was a gloriously jammy red wine, that wonderfully offset the rich potato Dauphinoise. How on earth do you follow that? With a signature soufflé that brought our meal to a close with a thunderous ovation. Light as air, the ravishing rhubarb affair was paired with a home-made vanilla ice cream. As we sped to the city, past hundreds of red shirts, I was filled to the brim with Welsh pride. ‘To be born Welsh is to be born priveleged’, indeed, and with flavours like these, you cannot help but belt out, ‘Gwlad, gwlad!’. Lowri Haf Cooke Hare & Hounds, Maindy Road, Aberthin, Vale of Glamorgan CF71 7LG; tel: 01446 774892
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