The Carpenters Arms — Restaurant in Wales

I came here 2 years ago and had an enjoyable experience giving the place 4 stars for good service and food. I revisited this week and I had great service and the food was excellent. I had the peri peri chicken which had a perfect amount of spiciness....could be a little too hot for some. My partner had the pork steak and loved it. Food was hot and service was quick. A nice setting if a little chilly in the back function room. On the whe the pub has a nice cosy atmosphere. The place was clean and fresh as were the toilets. Plenty of free parking. Wheelchair accessible entrance, restaurant and toilets, though carpark has a slight gradient. Staff were polite, friendly and inviting. Expect to pay around £50 to £60 for 2x drinks, meals and desserts on a mid range price. A bit of a pinch for my budget but it is on par for the quality, setting and service. The location is great, but once off the main road it is petty much narrow lane driving. Look for the phone box for the turning point. A great time and I...

First, the location is beautifully picturesque, tucked just enough away whilst remaining central to larger areas. The owners are wonderful and welcoming and have created a warm and inviting venue. The decor is beautifully done, combining the original atchitecture with a modern twist, resulting in a luxury feel. The food was delicious and arrived very promptly. A wonderful selection of classic dishes with a great vegan/vegetarian menu available and the presentation was top quality. The WC facilities were above par, being beautifully decorated, clean and smelling divine. They imply the 'ask for angela' operative which is wonderful to see. They have a large function room, that is available to hire, which is decorated lovely and has a dance floor area. Perfect for weddings. Altogether a great, easy going and welcoming country pub that caters for all. Worth the travel and will definitely be visiting...

Seriously overpriced IMHO. Quality of food for set menu not worth the price.

edit

We were part of a group of I think about 25. The set menu we had to choose from was about £23 per person.

My starter was lovely.

My main, the haddock dish. Huge chunks of garlic in a watery ratatouille. Served with roast (?) Potatoes. Whilst I appreciate the subtle art of herbs, I think stalks of thyme should be removed before serving. My haddock however was cooked perfectly. Husband had the beef cooked dinner. The beef was so tough neither he or my mother in law could actually eat it.

Desert was a disappointment. Whilst I appreciate brownies are supposed to be gooey, ours was so undercooked, it wasnt even set. Ice cream was devine though.

So... it doesn't matter how good your ingredients are, if simple ingredients arent done well it shines like a beacon.

If it hadn't been a birthday party I would...