Address: Old Raglan Road, Abergavenny, Wales NP7 9AA. (On B4598 off A40)

Telephone number: 01873 854220

Website: www.Thehardwick.co.uk

Date of visit: 13 August 2010

Approximate cost per head:  Around £20. Set lunch available at £18.50 for 2 courses and £23.50 for 3 courses.

Comments on wine list/beer: Otley. Fairly serious wine list at around 300% mark up – A 2008 Albarino was priced at £29 whilst a 2006 Chateau Neuf du Pape was priced at £68.50. Certain wines were available by the glass or half bottle.

Summary:

The Hardwick is listed in the Michelin as well as Sawday’s. This makes it a serious proposition. I paid a visit for lunch whilst I was enroute for the Penderyn Distillery.

The pub is sited on the main road. I nearly missed it as it was covered with scaffolding. Only the “wick” part was visible.

Inside the pub are two traditional rooms and a large modern extension like a huge conservatory. The place was about 90% full.

I was offered a table in the modern extension next to a family with 4 young children. In between courses, they all played games with their mother and grandparents – well, it was Friday 13. The grandfather did offer a good tip to the waitress aftwerwards for the disturbance but he didn’t apologies to me or offered me a drink!

There was no draft beer as the bar was being renovated. I had a bottle of large Otley Ale @  £3.20.

I went for 2 starters as they all looked very interesting on the menu. To start with I had the belly of pork stuffed with black pudding (£9). This turned out to be terrine style with layers of “pulled pork” and thinly sliced black pudding. The whole terrine was then covered in bread crumbs and fried. It was served hot and sliced with apple puree and a radicchio & cooked fennel salad. This has got to be one of the most interesting and inventive dish I have eaten for a very long time.

For my second starter I had a chorizo, courgette flower, peas, broad beans and potato salad (£8). It was served warm. Again, I was highly impressed. Only the flower petals were served as part of the pea and shelled broad bean salad. The chorizo was fried till crisp and the fried potatoes were served as wedges with their skin on.

The food here is definitely close to being awarded a Michelin star. Go quickly before they put the price up.

E

PS  The pork belly recipe can be found in Diana Henry ‘s Gastropub Cookbook (ISBN  978 1 84533 337 9). This is one of the most difficult recipe I have come across in the last few years. It is a true restaurant dish and it is not worth doing unless you are creating 50+ portions.