Penmaenuchaf Hall - Gwynedd

The quality of the ingredients, presentation and flavour of the food was outstanding. It’s clear the chef’s are very skilled. The canapés were a treat, fresh and full of flavour. We both had the cod to start, beautifully cooked with a great sauce, lovely! I had the sea bass my wife the lamb. Great dishes and fantastic accompaniments. The attention to detail? I had a few cherry tomatoes on my plate, there for colour I thought? No, skinned and packed with flavour, beautiful. I’m a **** for using salt and pepper, no need food was seasoned perfectly. £69 for 3 courses, yes! you pay up-to £20 for fish chips in any old pub these days. You are paying for top quality food you will struggle to find, cooked by trained and talented chef’s. The last time we had a meal that good? Monica Galletti 2 years ago!

A warm welcome with pre dinner drinks led through to an exceptional locally sourced three course menu. Hosted by a proud, professional and personable team. recommend highly

We had a great Sunday lunch at Penmaenuchaf on 16th July. We were travelling from South Wales to the North West (great driving roads) and this was a perfect pit stop. We had eaten Tom Hine 's food before when he worked with Michael Caines at both Gidleigh Park and Lympstone Manor and had delicious meals each time. I 'm delighted to say that those high standards have been maintained at Penmaenuchaf. My wife had turbot followed by beef and then a raspberry tart while I started with slow cooked egg and burnt leeks followed by pork and then a chocolate and hazelnut dessert. The food and drinks were all great. We enjoyed a pre lunch drink in the lounge big old leather sofas in a wood clad former billiard room and were presented with a couple of really tasty amuse bouche each. The bread rolls and butter were clearly home made and way more tasty than anything you could buy in a supermarket. And the butter was soft enough to spread which is generally a good sign why do some restaurants only take the butter out of the fridge as they serve it to you hard and unspreadable? The turbot was a small but super fresh portion of the fillet in a delicious, light creamy chive 'soup '. Both the beef and pork were full of flavour but I 'd say the beef just edged it for me very soft and with a punchy red wine jus. It also came with super, proper roast potatoes which you can rarely get in restaurants most of the time they 've sat steaming under hot lamps too long and lose their crispy outer texture; these had that great contrast with the fluffy inner. My wife had a glass of brouilly while I had a white rioja with the pork. Both were spot on. Service was attentive but unobtrusive. The setting is quiet and peaceful, situated in the orangery restaurant, with views out at the gardens and the hills beyond. We were surprised to find Tom had pitched up at this quiet, picturesque hotel just outside Dolgellau; the goal must be to make Penmaenuchaf a destination restaurant as he and Michael did with Gidleigh Park. We wish him and his team all the best in doing this. Next time we make the trip we will definitely be returning to the restaurant.

Wonderful lunch , food of very high quality in idyllic surroundings. Service to a very high standard . Without doubt will be wii be worth another visit

Penmaenuchaf has long provided a comfortable relaxed retreat where food and wines meet high expectations. New owners, the Wales based Seren group of prestige hotels arrived in June 2022 and are undertaking a well thought out upgrading of the entire hotel. Fortunately for diners a newly fitted kitchen and new head chef Thomas Hine bring in a confident delivery of fine dining that matches the highest levels across the UK. We relaxed in the large lounge to enjoy a pre meal drinks and ordered our starter, both choosing trout and main courses of cod and Welsh lamb whilst gazing over the arrival of spring in the terraced garden. A duo of delicious canapés, diced smoked salmon tartlet with herring roe and warm cheesy puff with finely grated Parmesan were served on a shiny slate. We were led to our table up a short theatrical curved stair to the dining conservatory that was well illuminated by the intertwined ‘gothic’ arched windows. The starter was a delight to the palate and to the eye. The trout was slightly smoked and poached for a short time and was served in a herb butter. The homemade rolls were perfectly baked and singly light and airy. My lamb was served pink and was so tender, the slice of lamb breast was slowly cooked to tenderness and finished with a scorched crust. The accompanying polenta with lamb jus was exquisite. My wife’s cod was delicately cooked and the fleshy flakes just tumbled into the accompanying sauce. Each component was just right and well assembled. The wine list is comprehensive and well selected, our wines by the glass, Provence rose, NZ Sauvignon blanc and Rioja Reserva were each from esteemed producers. Capucino and Earl Grey was served in the lounge with a pair of in house truffles and salted fudge. Lunch at Penmaenuchaf is a lovely experience and the present price delivers the finest value in the area.