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hand picked restaurants

A charming eighteenth-century house of style and distinction, set in twenty-four acres of grounds that feature mature woodland, a trout stream and a beautiful lake, Fairyhill is a very special hotel where a genuine welcome awaits, and where good food and the finest wines can be enjoyed without formality. Situated on the Gower peninsula, Britain's first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, lives a place where the finest traditions of hospitality meet modern creature comfort.

A casual air runs through public areas that extend from a warming, well-stocked bar to a sumptuously-appointed lounge, while all eight bedrooms are furnished to the highest standards of Comfort. The restaurant provides a relaxed end to the day, confirming an ever-present commitment to quality.

Its inspiring restaurant menus making good use of fresh local produce. Typical examples might include seared scallops with black fettucine, a warm salad of skate and dry cured bacon, a filo tart of vine tomatoes with local goat's cheese and basil oil, sea bass with a butter sauce, a fillet of prime beef with rosti potato and tomato and herb salsa or a rack of lamb with a sauté of liver, kidneys, garlic and parsley. Finish with banana crème brûlée or apple and tarragon tart.

An eclectic menu, efficient service and unassuming yet comfortable interiors give the Fortune House in Salisbury Road its charm. The sheer variety of Chinese cuisine boggles the mind. While serving all time favourites along with its signature dishes, Fortune House makes its mark with regulars as well as first timers.

Various set dinner options do the work for those who have difficulty making up their minds. A set dinner for two could consist of barbequed spare ribs, finger size spring rolls, sweet and sour pork Cantonese style, fried sliced beef in chilli and black bean sauce, fried sliced chicken with cashew nuts and special fried rice. The main menu lists such dishes as stuffed lettuce rolls, sweet and sour king prawn, roast duck and pork in plum sauce, fried sliced beef in black pepper sauce, fried straw mushrooms with bamboo shoots and fried Singapore rice vermicelli. Dessert options include pineapple fritters in syrup and toffee apple. A takeaway menu is also available.

Every inch an Italian café with some pretensions to being a restaurant, mainly in the form of traditional dishes of the country such as vegetable antipasata, mozzarella ciabatta. Their pizzas are renowned and this must be one of the best places for coffee in Cardiff. The garden is a place for lost afternoons and an everlasting supply of the grappa, though the same could be said for the café on less balmy days when people-watching can be a mildly enervating occupation. If the people are boring there's always the pictures, large numbers of which, many in an idiom which some would be hard put to comprehend, adorn the walls.

Gourmet Burger Kitchen was the brainchild of three New Zealanders, who craved after the way that food tasted back home. The chain was instrumental in changing the perception of many people who saw the traditional burger purely as a fast food option; instead they are now seen as more sophisticated products, made using fresh, good quality ingredients.

Their first outlet opened in Battersea and today there are forty-one serving scrumptious burgers. Chef Peter Gordon believes in using innovative combinations, with good quality English chicken and Aberdeen Angus Scotch beef among the ingredients, to make nutritious and convenient to eat fare. They offer chorizo and sweet potato, lamb and minted relish, or the vegetarian portabella mushroom among others. GBK sauces and accompaniments add to their taste.

The menu has nearly thirty different choices and if you feel like biting into pure beef, do try their classic burger with salad and relish - available with or without cheese, this is served with sauces like smoked mayo, spicy satay, fresh chilli and Thai red curry, lending the meal varying degrees of spice.

Some, like the Kiwi, are made using unusual raw materials such as beetroot, fried egg and pineapple, while for fans of chicken, the grilled breast with streaky bacon, salad and avocado is a delicious combination. There are a surprising number of burgers suitable for vegetarians with versions made from puy lentils, potato, green curry or aubergine served with goats' cheese and sun blushed tomatoes. Fresh fruit juices, soft drinks and milkshakes are alcohol free options.

A welcome list of wines and beers complete the picture of a relaxed and modern environment as Gourmet Burger King excels in making the humble burger taste so good.

Pleasant contemporary interiors and a comfortable atmosphere characterise Moksh in Bute Crescent. This isn't a typical neighbourhood Indian by any means. Chef Stephen Gomes has gone ahead and offered his take on traditional curry selections for a different flavour.

The house signature dishes include the Bombay style chicken James à la Indiana, spicy tandoori breast of Barbary duck served with spiced mashed potatoes, chicken tikka flavoured with garlic, ginger, mint and olive oil and Malabar prawn curry made with freshly grated coconut, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Vegetarians can look forward to khatte baingan, baby aubergine cooked with onions, red chillies, coriander seeds and cashewnuts, and dal Bukhara, lentils cooked overnight in a clay oven and finished with tomatoes and cream. Lamb biryani, vegetable pilau, coconut rice and naan breads complement the meal. To close with dessert of chocolate and cinnamon trio served with Port wine, ginger and lemongrass mousse or chocolate samosa would be a fitting end to the meal.

The bark of a cinnamon tree is remarkable for its intense flavour and is an indispensable spice in South Asian kitchens; likewise much attention is also lavished on this vital condiment at its namesake restaurants in Treforest and Pontcana, and a buffet and takeaway location in Bridgend. In fact it's more than just cinnamon; their time-tested recipes are built around an impressive blend of aromatic spices and ingredients.

Although customary Indian fare is prominently featured, it's interesting to notice dishes like aag utt pakheeza - flaming ostrich steaks marinated in fresh herbs and spices, grilled in a tandoor and served sizzling in brandy flame, bringing a whiff of novelty to proceedings. So do braised turkey fillets with spicy mushroom bhuna and sometimes its wise to pay heed to what the chef's have to say in the section devoted to their recommended dishes like the fairly hot Goa green chicken and peshawari king prawns.

Buffets certainly make for interesting eating especially at Cinnamon Tree with a spread of over 20 dishes capturing flavours of the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent.

An idyllic setting in the Vale of Glamorgan and a history that dates back to the 12th century makes The Old Swan Inn a magnet for gastro pub enthusiasts. Holding sway in the centre of town as its oldest public house, the ancient stone exterior and classic interiors of low beam ceilings and dark wood furniture create a unique ambience that warm hospitality accentuates. In winter, a roaring fire greets guests in the main dining room while in summer the attached beer garden beckons.

A blackboard menu offers traditional pub food and daily seasonal specials. Beer battered cod with homemade tartar sauce served with chunky chips and sweet garden peas is the house signature dish. Other options include Spanish omelette, olive and brie tartlets, tortillas, 8oz rump steak with fried mushrooms and peas, chilli con carne, chicken and bacon tower with BBQ sauce and roasted pork and leek sausages with a rich red wine jus and mash. Sandwiches and baguettes add variety. Round off with apple crumble cheesecake or homemade pancakes filled with chocolate.

The bar serves an impressive selection of local guest ales from a variety of brewers including The Otley Brewing Company in Pontypridd Wye Valley Brewery and the RCH Brewery.