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

Telephone number: 01873 854220

Website: www.Thehardwick.co.uk

Date of visit: 7 January 2012

Last visit (published date): 17 Aug 2010

Likes and dislikes: All the favourites are available as pasrt of the Sunday set lunch – excellent approached. Do they have to charge for bread?

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

Cuisine: Nearly haute cuisine – modern European

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:

I was in Wales for a birthday party and decided to have lunch with a friend in The Hardwick before the journey back into England.

The only slot they could offer me was a 12.00 slot. They were otherwise fully booked.

The Hardwick has now finished with the new extension – a bar area. It was full of leather settees. There are now 3 dining rooms – one small, one medium and a large sun lounge.

On Sunday, they offer a set lunch with choices. It was £22 for 2 courses and £28 for three courses. Bread was extra.

The wine list was as extensive as before with plenty of wines close to £100. At the lower end, it was in the £20s.

I started with ravioli with ricotta, spinach and roasted pumpkin followed by roast pork. M ordered roast beef. I ordered  a bottle of I’ntruse  2008 – an Italian blend. This was a very drinkable wine.

The ravioli was 2 large ones filled with the ricotta and spinach mixture with the roast red butternut squash dotted round the plate. It came with a butter sauce, very nice and very visual.

For main course, the roast pork came with whole fried chicory. The pork was pink – have we eradicated tape worms? Unfortunately, I developed a mild tummy ache and couldn’t eat a thing. M’s roast beef was very pink and it was warm rather than hot. It came with roast potatoes, a huge Yorkshire pud and cabbage.

Although I was in distress, M didn’t lose her appetite and went on to have a dessert – rice pudding. This was served with ice cream and poached pear.

The waitress offered the wrap up my lunch for me. I later had it that evening at home. The re-cooked pork was no longer pink and it was very nice.

Hardwick is a top act in South Wales. Its brochure now claims that Michele Roux Jr has declared that this is his favourite restaurant in Wales. I think that the chef (Terry Stevens) trained under Marco Pierre White, so he is not a Roux protégée.

e