Hiraeth
Llysworney , Vale of Glamorgan
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* Following the closure/sale of their original premises at the end of 2023, Hiraeth's owners have found a new home within the Court Colman Manor hotel in Bridgend. Watch for a new review coming soon.*
Andy Aston and Lewis Dwyer have transformed what was Llysworney's stone-built village pub (the Carne Arms) into a dining destination, while keeping its role as a local alive. Both the bar and the dining area are relaxed, rustic and stylishly rough-edged, with lots of stonework, bare wood and a smattering of banquette seating. The cooking is ambitious and creative, with a strong focus on savvy sourcing: Isle of Wight tomatoes, for example, shine atop lemony goat’s curd with a flourish of cool cucumber slivers, spiky pickled shallot, pesto granita and a zingy tomato consommé. Brixham scallops – served caramelised, with confit celeriac and puréed apple – are elevated with shavings of porky lomo. Technical skills shine in a main course of tender, chargrilled Orchard Farm pork with apple sauce (made in the fireplace), a crunchy sliver of crackling, seasonal asparagus and pommes Anna (fried to make chunky chips). Despite the occasional misfire (charred flavours overpowering a dish of confit lamb with mussels, porcini jus and grilled lettuce, for example), high points obliterate any minor grumbles, and the nine-course taster menu offers good value for ingredients and cooking of this standard. Desserts singled out for praise include a fluffy burnt-honey parfait with toasted sesame, and a ‘delectable’ peanut butter and jelly macaron. The food is complemented by a compact, reasonably priced wine list with everything available by the glass. On Sundays, a traditional roast lunch is served in the bar.
