Travel: A very tasty welcome in the hillside

THINK gourmet and the chances are images of Paris, Rome or a swanky, overpriced part of London will pop into your head.

Whatever comes to mind, it probably won’t be the middle of nowhere in Wales. But more fool you, for the land of Welsh rarebit and laver bread is far from being left behind in the culinary arts.

When invited to spend a weekend chowing down in Cymru, I was presented with a mouthwatering list of places to try and struggled to whittle it down to just two (after all, there’s only so much fine dining you can get through in a couple of days).

So with friend, friend’s dog and a road map full of tricky to pronounce place names, we set off in search of some posh grub.

Our first port of call was The Felin Fach Griffin, just outside Brecon.

Brecon is a bustling town well worth a visit, or you could go for the fit and healthy option and hike around the breathtaking scenery.

But my remit was eating, not walking or sightseeing - and eat I did.

Nestling in between the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains, this old coaching inn is thorougly unassuming from the outside. It’s smart and perfectly pleasant to look at, but pop your head through the door and it’s like disappearing through the wardrobe into Narnia. This place is truly special.

Beautifully decorated, cosy, warm and friendly - it ticks all the boxes an inn could possibly tick.

Part of the Eat.Drink.Sleep company, its website says: “We think many of us want to return, if only momentarily, to a slower pace of life. Everything our team do here is designed to achieve that aim for you. Time spent in this part of the world will unwind you. Relaxation within the building contrasts with the magnificence of the country that surrounds it.”

And it’s spot on. The very building seems to give you a hug and say ‘relax - enjoy yourself’. It is clear the amount of love that has gone into this place.

The rooms are bright and airy with huge comfortable beds, luxurious bathrooms and your every comfort anticipated. And not just for humans - our room was fully stocked with towels and old sheets for the dog, doggy treats, poo bags - everything a hound might need on a weekend away. And if you run out, you’re invited to help yourself from the doggy cabinet on the landing. The dog was most impressed.

For the humans, no detail was missed, from real fresh milk rather than those horrible UHT cartons, to fresh ground coffee to the stylish DAB radio. A full booklet talks you through all you might need to know with a lovely sense of humour. I particularly liked the section on hot water, which suggested in the case of it not being hot enough, to go to the bar, enjoy a complimentary glass of something sparkling and try again in 15 minutes or so.

The piece de resistance, though, has to be the bar area. Cosily lit, with a huge fire at its heart, it is furnished with comfy old leather sofas and tables with plenty of room to relax at.

Having done nothing more strenuous than have a bit of a lie down, we headed to the bar with pooch in tow ready to dine like kings.

The Felin Fach’s menu is one of those where it’s almost impossible to make a choice because everything sounds so good.

We settled on starters of smoked duck, rhubarb, pain d’epices and liver and the Portland crab with picked daikon, ginger and coriander.

The moment they arrived we knew we were in for something extraordinary. The presentation was exquisite and the flavours were out of this world - nuanced little explosions of joy filled our mouths as we ‘mmmmmm’ed away to ourselves.

For mains my companion chose black face lamb loin and sweetbreads with asparagus, capers and wild garlic, while I went for rump of Welsh beef, onions, beef dripping and bone marrow toast.

Again, everything was perfection, from the melting meat to the seasoning of the veg. There is good food and then there’s a whole new level where you simply don’t know how a chef can make an ingredient taste like that. And The Felin Fach is the latter.

We were helpfully advised on wines and rounded off our meal with a heavenly dessert and a cheeseboard of local cheeses, washed down with dessert wine and a white port.

As is the fashion these days, the produce is locally, ethically sourced and much of it comes from the pub’s own kitchen garden, an extensive collection of herbs, veg, fruits and more. It’s worth a look round, whether or not you’re green-fingered.

After a good night’s rest we were ready for more food - bring on the breakfast!

A choice of cooked breakfasts, delicious muesli, yoghurts, fruit and the other usual suspects set us up for the long morning ahead until lunchtime.

It was a shame to leave but we were booked in for lunch at Y Ffarmers in Llanfihangel y Creuddyn, just outside Aberystwyth.

The drive took about two hours at a leisurely pace through some stunning countryside, which culminated in our arrival in an extremely pretty little village with little more than a church and handsome, whitewashed pub with an excellent reputation for food.

Having the dog with us meant we were seated in the bar area rather than the dining room. Its flagstone floors and a big wooden table was pleasantly rustic, while the dining area was smart and chic.

To start with my friend had cockle fritters with lemon mayonnaise, lending a tangy twist to the sweetness of the seafood.

I had the deep-fried Birchgrove egg with dukkah (a spicy Egyptian condiment) and melba toast, a tasty treat that could have made a delicious light lunch in its own right.

For mains, my pal went for the beer-battered haddock with chips and peas while I chose roast guinea fowl with crushed new potatoes, braised pak choi and wild garlic puree.

Both were generous platefuls of deliciousness and it was easy to see why the place was packed on a Saturday lunchtime in April.

After a stroll through the village we rounded off our weekend with an impromptu overnight stay in the university town of Aberystwyth... and a takeaway pizza. Well, you can’t survive on haute cuisine alone.

Travel facts

Gill Harris stayed at The Felin Fach

• Griffin, Felin Fach, Brecon LD3 0UB

  Tel: 01874 620 111.

•  Bed and breakfast starts at £130 but there are many special offers available so check the website - felinfachgriffin.co.uk.

• Y Ffarmers is in Llanfihangel y Creuddyn, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 4LA.

  It is open for food daily apart from Mondays (though it does open on bank holidays).

•  For more information call

  01974 261275

  or visit yffarmers.co.uk.