The Alyn – Rossett, what a treat #Review
Gaile Wundke
30th December 2016
With the excitement of Christmas done and dusted and the expectation of what the New Year will bring just around the corner, the days in between can feel a bit flat and so our spirits were well and truly lifted when we were invited by The Alyn to sample their menu.
Nestled on the banks of the River Alyn in the picturesque village of Rossett, North Wales, this Country pub, is the perfect destination for excellent pub food, quality wines and real ales. Food is served all day every day from noon onwards and there are special offers on most days of the week, providing exceptional value! The T Bone steak night for £10 is an absolute winner!!!
When we visited on Wednesday 28th December, it had been a particularly cold day with temperatures barely creeping above 3 degrees and so it was quite an effort to leave our lovely warm house and make the short journey to Rossett, but we were very glad that we did!
On arriving at around 6.30pm we found an already very busy pub and restaurant where Christmas celebrations were clearly still in full swing, the chat and laughter from the customers creating an instantly welcoming atmosphere and the twinkling lights from garlands and trees adding to the festive cheer.
We were looked after by Rebecca, and how lucky The Alyn are to have her. She was knowledgeable about the menu, efficient, friendly and seemingly totally unflappable. Even though the restaurant was busy and was also catering for two very large parties, she still managed to find time to speak to people and did so with complete professionalism and most importantly, a smile!
So, to the food. The menu at The Alyn caters for all tastes and appetites, whether you fancy a nibble with a drink, a sharing board, a sandwich or a steak, they have it all and not only is there plenty to choose from the main menu, there is also a daily specials board! It was from the specials board that we selected one of our starters Belly Pork Nuggets with Apple & Thyme Chutney and Seed mustard dressing £5.95, then from the main menu, Smoked Haddock Kedgeree, spring onions, curried rice & soft poached egg, £5.95 and Black Pudding, Apple, Crispy Bacon & Fried Hens Egg £5.98. We also chose a bottle of Terre Forti Trebbiano Chardonnay, Italy, very reasonably priced at £14.50 and iced water was brought to the table.
All three starters proved to be excellent, the belly pork nuggets, soft pieces of pork encased in a crisp crumb, deep fried and served with a dressed baby tomato and rocket salad and a sharp and sweet apple chutney, just delicious and something I will definitely be trying at home! The kedgeree had distinct pieces of flaky haddock, perfectly cooked rice and just enough curry to flavour rather than over power all brought together by the poached egg, which once pierced, oozed its golden loveliness over the dish. The classic flavours of pork and apple, in this case black pudding, worked beautifully, the apple sautéed so it was both softened and caramelised, the shards of crispy bacon adding a welcome saltiness as well as texture, topped with a perfectly fried egg, comfort food at its very best and a starter which will also be added to my home repertoire!
The portions at The Alyn are very generous and this was never more evident than when our main courses arrived, The Alyn Steak Burger, with cheddar cheese, bacon, onion rings, coleslaw and chips £10.95, The Alyn Mixed Grill – rump steak, chicken breast, gammon steak, lamb chop, sausage, black pudding and fried egg, £18.95 and the Fish platter – crispy whitebait, tempura king prawns, hot smoked salmon, salt & pepper squid, tartar sauce, marie rose dip & bread £7.25 (a larger portion is available for £12.95, but this would definitely need to be shared!).
I will start with the burger – it was huge, topped with bacon and lots of melted cheese, served in a soft bun accompanied by two giant onion rings, homemade coleslaw and really good crispy chunky chips, something so few seem to be able to achieve. I mention the chips in particular as I have lost count of the places we have been to who have served limp and greasy chunky chips or something so big that it’s more of a roast potato than a chip – these were excellent and stayed hot and crisp right to the last bite of the last chip! The mixed grill was again very substantial, but the quantity was no substitute for quality, everything was skilfully cooked, nothing on the plate was either over or underdone and the rump steak, in particular, was perfectly rare, as had been requested. I should also mention that this mammoth meal also came with grilled tomato, flat cap mushroom and the aforementioned onion rings and chips! Finally the Fish Platter and another triumph! I must say though that even as someone with a pretty good appetite, I was relieved that Rebecca had steered me towards the smaller portion as it was more than enough for one person and as much as I would have loved to have had some chips, I simply wouldn’t have been able to eat them!
You probably won’t be surprised to hear that on this occasion we really didn’t have room for dessert and asked Rebecca if anyone ever manages to eat one! Perhaps the way to do it, is to forgo everything else and just head for dessert and should you do that then there are such delights as White Chocolate Cheesecake, Sticky Toffee Pudding and Chocolate Brownie (All priced at £5.50) to name just a few and I have no doubt that they again will not disappoint!
I can honestly say that it is a long time since we have been to a pub that is proud to be a pub. So many places give up on traditional pub food in favour of a more restaurant styled menu, but it so often doesn’t work. From our experience on our visit, The Alyn has got it just right, food that people are familiar with, generous portions, a chef that can cook, reasonable prices and lovely staff – what more could you ask for.
If you’ve not been to The Alyn for a while, or if you’ve never visited before, then make a note in your 2017 diary to pay it a visit, but if you do, dig out your elasticated waists as you’re going to need them, its an eating feast in a beautiful setting.