Making a meal of it (From Free Press Series)

Making a meal of it

A HOST of Monmouthshire restaurants have starring roles in a new 'Dining Out in Wales Guide', produced by True Taste Wales, the foodies' arm of the Welsh Development Agency.

A total of 12 establishments from the county feature in the first ever accredited restaurant guide for Wales which was launched at events in New York, Brussels, London, Paris and Cardiff on St David's Day.

In total, 150 dining venues are featured selected from more than 200 visited by a team of independent food experts.

There are 100 'gold' and 'silver' entries that merit a full page illustrated entry in the book, and a further 50 'bronze' entries of a half page each.

Comprehensive maps at the back refer to each place by location.

Local Gold awards the Walnut Tree, Llandewi Skirrid, near Abergavenny and The Foxhunter at Nant-y-Derry.

Silver Awards have been given to The Stone Mill at Rockfield near Monmouth; Jonathan and Nicola Davies, recently arrived at The Crown at Whitebrook; Leadon's Brasserie at Llandevaud; The Newbridge at Tredunnock and The Bell at Skenfrith.

Abergavenny's Angel Hotel also gets a Silver for Mark Turton's food, and Jon West's re-styled Llanwenarth Hotel further along the Crickhowell road follows suit. Kevin Brookes, at the Wye Knot on Chepstow's riverbank, was also rewarded with a Silver award in the guide.

Silvers also go to "Bob's" in Monmouth which gets a special mention for its off-the-wall eccentricity, The Clytha Arms near Raglan, and the Farmers Arms on the Talgarth road at Cwmdu, whose chef/proprietor Andrew Lawrence cut his teeth a decade or so ago at The Beaufort Hotel in Chepstow.

The guide also hands out a Bronze Award to The Black Bear at Betws Newydd near Usk.

Michelle Decloedt, proprietor of the Stone Mill, said: "I think the guide is great and it's something we can build on. As long as people can get their hands on it, I think it will be a great success."

Mike Morgan, manager of Llansantffraed Court in Abergavenny, said: "I'm very proud to be involved", while Matt Tebbutt, owner and chef at the Foxhunter added: "It's the best guide that's been produced yet."

"Dining Out in Wales 2004" is available from local bookshops at £6.95, with tear-out readers' reports in back that can be mailed in to the WDA in Cardiff for us to review for next year's edition. Now, that should be fun!

We've teamed up with one of the Silver Award winners, the Newbridge at Tredunnock to offer our readers the chance to win a free meal for two. To enter, simply answer the following question: How many gold award winners are there in the Dining Out in Wales Guide?

Send your answer along with your details, giving any prefrence of restaurant, to Dining Out in Wales Competition, c/o Abergavenny Free Press, 7 Lion Street, Abergavenny, NP7 6PN.