Rhiwafallen (Sunday Lunch)

Rhiwafellen Restaurant with Rooms

Llandwrog, Caernarfon

Gwynedd, LL54 5SW

01286 830172

http://www.rhiwafallen.co.uk/

Might as well start with the brilliant little restaurant that's not 10 miles down the road from us, whence* we just returned from a highly satisfying Sunday lunch. The weather was extremely wet, cold, and murky (or, as the BBC weatherman described it, dull), but as we walked up the front path to the simple Welsh farmhouse, we could not have anticipated how warm, luxurious and welcoming the interior would be. Drinks and nibbles were served in a living room that was so tastefully yet simply decorated (and featured a very impressive fireplace) that I wished we could move in. Then it was through to the conservatory for lunch proper, where we dined with lovely views of an old stone cottage, a pond, and very green and wet countryside.

Now for the best part - the food! I felt a bit bad about putting co-owner and server Kate on the spot with my request for dairy-free starters and mains (her advice was that it's best to notify them of dietary preferences 24 hours in advance), yet they were able to concoct a gorgeous coconut pumpkin soup as a starter, and de-butter my sea bass main. RR's starter was a wee ramekin full of mackerel and other fishy friends sitting pretty in a cream sauce. Also deserving mention is the incredibly delicious (and WARM!) homemade bread, served with little dishes of olive oil and vinegar, and butter for the dairy-friendly among us.  For mains, I feasted upon sea bass and cabbage-potato mash, while RR ate his way through a generous and artfully-plated portion of roast pork and black pudding.  Ample side dishes of potatoes roast to perfection, parsnips, creamy leeks, and some really lovely steamed greens (cabbage and kale, I believe) meant that there was more than enough food on the table for a proper sunday lunch pig out.  For dessert, we had plum crumble with vanilla ice cream, and a lemon meringue parfait with (dairy free!) vanilla ice cream. Desserts were impressively delicious, and bowls were nearly licked clean (even RR's, who claims to have no interest in sweets... yeah right).


Rhiwafallen by the Numbers
Starters: 7.5/10
Mains: 7.5/10
Desserts: 7.5/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Staff: 8/10
Value for £: 8/10
portion size: typical British (i.e., medium)
total for 2 for sunday lunch (w/ wine & sparkling water): £48.00

Bottom Line: For an exceptionally enjoyable Sunday lunch in an enviably well-appointed country house, definitely check this place out. We'll be back.

* as we live in Britain now, we feel disposed to use words like 'whence' and 'hullabaloo' whenever possible