Manorhaus

Manorhaus is splendidly located just off St Peter's Square in the picturesque old market town of Ruthin. The only boutique hotel in the town, it occupies an important grade 2 listed Georgian town house that combines traditional hospitality with contrasting contemporary design.

Cleverly, the restaurant has been designed with a twin persona, bright and cheerful for the daytime, moving subtly to low level lighting and candles, a background for immaculate white linen and sparkling glassware in the evenings, establishing a warm and intimate atmosphere.

From 10.30am onwards those looking for a temporary haven from life's stresses and strains can indulge in delightful freshly ground Italian coffee, or a selection of teas, and pastries. At noon lunch takes over, with options on light meals, sandwiches and specialities. Regulars are much taken with the monthly change of lunch menu that prevents even the slightest touch of ennui casting a shadow.

The a la carte dinner menu lists six choices for each course, with starters drawn from pan fried pigeon breast with smoked bacon and bean cassoulet and red wine syrup, grilled salmon escalopes and a Hollandaise butter sauce, or roasted figs wrapped in Parma ham and dressed with maple mustard. Vegetarians will delight in the nut crusted grilled goat's cheese on maple mustard dressed mixed leaf salad, carrot and cumin soup, served with freshly baked bread, or pear and Stilton risotto, Parmesan shavings and balsamic glaze.

No menu of main courses served in any self-respecting Welsh restaurant would be complete without seasonal rack of Welsh lamb, partnered with leek mash, caramelised carrots and red wine lamb jus. Expect to see other main courses such as Gressingham duck breast, pan seared with roast new potatoes and parsnips, and a port wine jus, rolled sirloin of beef stuffed with shallots and roasted garlic, fondant potato, stir fried kale and red wine jus, or roast chicken tournedo with shallot and mushroom stuffing, dauphinoise potatoes, spinach and wild mushroom sauce.

This is a restaurant that does not neglect its vegetarian patrons, and an aubergine and chick pea tagine with tomato cous-cous and toasted almonds certainly looks good enough to make even convinced meat eaters take a second glance both at the dish and their preferences.

Desserts can include petit pot au chocolat, with cocoa dusting, double cream and dark chocolate bits, leading to some speculation prior to ordering, delightful pancakes served with sugar and lemon or maple syrup and cream, and a vanilla crème brûlée with raspberry coulis and fresh raspberries. An interesting variation on a well-tried theme is the pear and date pudding, served with butter scotch and honeycomb ice cream. The Welsh and their cheese are too much celebrated to ignore, and some interesting local cheese are to be found.

Manorhaus can also provide distractions of a pleasant kind within its gallery concept that displays the work of some of the best contemporary artists and designers in the region.