I'M told by friends in the business that deciding on the right location is the single most important business decision you will make when opening a restaurant. Great food and service is vital, but if your location is bad, none of that matters.

Considering this, the Chainbridge Hotel in Llangollen has got it made. Located next to the iconic bridge that spans the River Dee, the hotel provides a stunning spot for locals and travellers alike to grab a bite to eat and enjoy a relaxing drink (or two).

Enticed by a boiling hot Bank Holiday and my wife's birthday we popped in for lunch with our two children and were rewarded with a breezy table overlooking the river where the kids were entertained by the adventurous canoeists and we could simply enjoy the view, our food and some great service.

Our charming waitress imformed us it was a brand new menu and I dived in with the ham hock and black pudding terrine with white bloomer loaf while the wife chose some padron peppers. As well as the obvious harmony between soft,melting ham hock and earthy, rich black pudding what made this dish stand out for me was the lovely soft bread which accompanied it. The peppers fulfilled their melt in your mouth reputation with a small amount of salty heat chasing a lingering pepper flavour getting the thumbs up from my wife.

The menu is split into different sections titled 'From the Sea', 'From the Farm', 'From the Garden' and 'From the Past' and being a lover of all things retro I steered towards the past and chose the Chainbridge Burger which presented me with a huge slab of Welsh beef, topped with cheddar and bacon in a toasted sourdough bun, with chips and relish. Everything was present and correct and while it could have been more adventurous with its seasoning and presentation, it was hard to fault. My wife headed to the garden and the vegan stir fry with peppers, onions,

Savoy cabbage, leek, carrot and broccoli, in sweet chilli sauce, served with steamed rice. She was full of compliments about how crisp the vegetables were when compared with the sogginess of many pub-served stir fries and an empty plate told its old story.

With both kids happy with their servings of fish, chips and beans and pasta and pesto, we were able to sit back and enjoy the view vowing to leave the car (and the children) next time we visited.

How it rated:

The Chainbridge Hotel, Berwyn, Llangollen, Denbighshire, LL20 8BS. Tel: 01978 860215

  • Ambience: 9/10
  • Service: 9/10
  • Food quality: 7/10
  • Children welcome: yes
  • Disabled access: yes