Celtic Manor has to be one of the most famous resorts in Wales. Not just for the golf, but because of the standard of service and being one of the few places to get authentic French food.
The Crown restaurant is one of many within the Celtic Manor resort, and is a great place to spend an evening. It’s a fine-dining restaurant, but without any of the fussiness that can mar the more traditional venues. As a result, the clientele here are younger than you would usually encounter in such a place.
The menu is French-inspired and seems a bit of a fusion. Canapes were served as soon as we arrived, and were a selection of mushroom consommé with tarragon jelly, duck liver terrine with croutons, Caerphilly cheese on shortbread and poached salmon with beetroot.
"The Crown menu is French-inspired and a bit of a fusion. Delicious!"
Our meal began with an amuse bouche of pea espuma with smoked oil, which was very tasty, and set the meal up nicely.
Our starter consisted of wild sea bass and a goats cheese salad. The sea bass was served with channel squid, broad bean puree and mint oil. The fish was fresh, the squid was light and everything was brought to earth with the rich puree. It was delicious.
The Pant- Ysgawn goats cheese salad came with baby beets, artichokes and peach. This was equally nice, lighter and earthier than the fish and a great way to begin a dinner.
Main course was roast halibut and Welsh lamb. The halibut was served with chicken jus, green beans and shaved carrot. The halibut was again, very fresh and very flaky. It fell off the bone and worked extremely well with the chicken and vegetables.
The rump of Welsh lamb came with a potato terrine, cured chicken breast and tomato jus. The lamb was tender, pink in the middle and tasted great. It too worked well with the chicken and the vegetables.
Then we had a pre-dessert, which was a palate cleanser of blackcurrant sorbet with apple foam. Our actual dessert was a pair of vanilla and cherry cheesecakes with pistachio ice-cream. The cheesecakes were light and sweet, the fruit giving it that edge on the tongue. The pistachio ice-cream was great, and did actually taste of the nuts.
Our meal at the Crown was a delight. The service was great, the atmosphere light, and the food superb. It is certainly somewhere we would come again.
The Bill: £76 per head
