Clarkes Restaurant, Glen-Yr-Afon Hotel, Usk, Monmouthshire
Usk has been keeping a secret, or rather the Glen-Yr-Afon Hotel, situated just a few minutes walk from the centre of Usk, has. The secret is the hotel’s restaurant, Clarkes.
Just walking in to the restaurant and you’re already getting that magical feeling. Crisp, white tablecloths, immaculately laid tables with shining cutlery and sparkling glassware – it’s these details that contribute so much to making your dining out experience a real treat. Clarkes Restaurant offers customers a truly wonderful dining experience, combining as it does the luxurious environment of this beautiful Victorian villa with dishes produced from the finest, freshest and, wherever possible, locally-sourced ingredients.
In this respect the restaurant is spoilt for choice, as Monmouthshire and its surrounding counties can boast a plethora of local suppliers providing all manner of delicious foods from unique cheeses and wines, famous Welsh beef and lamb, to fresh fish and seafood.
Head chef, Julie Carey, comments, “Working here is a dream job. As a professional chef, my sole motivation comes from wanting to create stunning food that blows the minds of the people eating it. Obviously, a skilled chef can, to a point, create a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, metaphorically speaking, but only if the sow’s ear is of the very best quality you understand! Here, however, we don’t have to.
“We have access to a fantastic range of wonderful foodstuffs which are either locally produced or sourced from further afield and delivered, in a matter of hours, fresh to our door. Being able to work with the very best quality ingredients makes my job of creating really sublime food a real pleasure and the end result, hopefully, even more of a pleasure for our customers.”
In order to make the most of the fabulous variety of ingredients available, and to ensure that seasonal ingredients are enjoyed while they’re at their very best, the Clarkes’ a la carte menu changes monthly. This keeps things interesting and fresh for their customers and means there’s absolutely no chance for anyone to develop menu fatigue. The menus are an exciting combination of traditional dishes and more modern-style cooking so there’s always something for everyone, whatever your particular preference or mood on the day.
The one minor exception to this rule occurs once a week, and even then, the restaurant still manages to ring the changes. Sunday lunch offers customers a traditional roast, with three main courses on offer - beef and Yorkshires are a menu staple and then another roast meat and a fish dish, complemented by a choice of starters and then home-made desserts from the sweet trolley, followed by cheese, coffee and mints!
For any vegetarians or vegans panicking right now that you might not be able to experience all this gorgeousness don’t worry – special dietary needs can all be catered for; just mention your requirements on booking. The fabulous food is complemented by a world-class wine list that even the most discerning connoisseur will find a real joy.
If all that wasn’t enough then the service too is faultless and just what you want; friendly without being too friendly, courteous and discreet without being stand-offish and intimidating. Nothing is too much trouble and the waiting staff manage to create just the right ambience so that it’s impossible not to relax, savour your meal and really enjoy yourself.
The Clarkes experience is available to all, residents and non-residents alike. There is ample free parking within the hotel’s three acres of picturesque grounds which, on a nice afternoon, also provide the perfect setting for a post-lunch leisurely stroll, or you can retire to one of the comfortable bar areas to relax.
So whatever the occasion - a romantic meal for two, a family celebration, a business lunch or dinner or just to spoil yourself once in a while, Clakes offers a wonderfully elegant and yet comfortable and relaxed setting for an unforgettable fine dining experience.
SUNDAY LUNCHEON
Sunday Luncheon is served 12.30 - 1.00 p.m. Restaurant - £21.00 per person inc.VAT / Private Room or Library - £23.00 per person inc.VAT - Please book in advance to avoid disappointment
