The Fanny Talbot, Barmouth/Bermo
This is a wondrous place. The outside area is a beckoning grotto, promising magic inside, away from Barmouth's bustle. Come in, it says, out of the smells of vinegar and onions and candy floss. Delights are within. There's no Michelin star, but it has a place on the Michelin list, and the head chef, Owen Vaughan, found renown in reaching the finals of Masterchef: The Professionals. AA Rosettes have been awarded three times. Ingredients are locally sourced. To be honest; I find it hard to imagine any improvement that might justify that Michelin star, because this is some of the finest food I have ever experienced.
Atmosphere is important, and it's all low lit, restfully autumnal. Instantly through the door and you'll feel a weight lifted. The welcome is genuine. The music is mellow, relaxing.. The wine list isn't cheap, but it won't break the bank, and it's eclectic; I chose a New Zealand Marlborough, because I always do. There's a welcome Welsh presence on the drinks menu; Conwy beer, Penderyn whiskies, Aber Falls vodka. Heartening to see.
The Loch Duart salmon was perfectly seared on the skin and juicy pink at the centre. The panko'd oyster was a hit of the sea, balanced against the sweet pucker of the little purple leaves of shore purslane. That so much flavour can be packed into so small a morsel seems impossible. Yellowfin tuna loin came with miso emulsion, teriyaki sauce, cucumber and sesame; dizzying depths of umami. We could have chosen white onion veloute with Hafod cheese, or we could have chosen pork belly with celeriac puree and 'Nduja cabbage. Next time we will. And there will be a next time.
The roasted cauliflower made the absolute most of this under-appreciated brassica, and the pak choi, the chickpeas, buoyant in the citrussy slick of katsu; this was an understanding of the potential of vegetables, not as dutiful sides but as the centre of the plate. Sesame took it into nuttiness. The florets broke apart at the brush of the fork yet still somehow retained a bite. Similar with the lamb, indeed, it could've been consumed with chopsticks, such was its tenderness. Made earthy with morel and wild garlic and also sweetened with peas and asparagus, the strata of flavours was stnning. The mushrooms expressed an intimacy with a forest floor. Elegantly textured, waves of taste; there is great skill and knowledge in this cooking. That split-second window between underdone and immaculate was met. Only instinct can achieve this (along with, of course, education and application and long hours in the kitchen); a quality that the very best chefs possess.
And the desserts - wee sculptures, artistic creations. The vanilla panna cotta with rhubarb and pistachio butter crumb. A cloud of sour tang, surrounded crunchy rubble; I found myself almost trembling in anticipation of the next mouthful. That's how good this food is; even while eating it, you're worried about it being gone. The chocolate delice with honeycomb and raspberry was such an amazing construction that to break it with a spoon seemed rude but the richness, the depths of flavour, the yield of the ganache and the snap of the honeycomb. . . When the waiter took the cleaned crockery away I felt like a dog being deprived of its bone; growl, leave it here. And a word about the waiting staff (because they are, of course, an integral part of the dining experience); Raffi, and Brisbane-born Lily, were exemplary; attentive without being obtrusive, knowledgeable, impressively aware. If waitressing could be studied, they'd have a PhD.
There is a certain joy to be had in a bag of chips from the Mermaid, eaten on Barmouth seafront, but should you be in the town with a hankering for something a little more upmarket, then go here. I recommend it unreservedly. Actually, scratch that; make a trip to Barmouth just to eat here. It is flawless, it is fantastic. Surely that Michelin star is on its way.
High St, Barmouth LL42 1DS t.01341 429476
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