Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

The history of Norton Manor Hotel dates back to 1858 when it was the family home of the 1st Baronet of Radnorshire; now it welcomes guests from further afield to experience rural countryside life within its pleasant interior. Milanos Restaurant likewise bears a charm that is in keeping with the rest of the hotel

For Chef Enzo cooking is a way to illustrate his creativity and imagination and has demonstrated this passion for over 30 years in various restaurants. The à la carte is a repository of collective British and Italian dishes, so expect to find linguini with tomato, garlic, white wine and baby clams alongside a 10oz Radnorshire sirloin steak with green peppercorn sauce. An investigation of the antipasti section could reveal salmon gravadlax, and mango and prawn cocktail.

It's also heart-warming to note that Milanos pay special attention to those well advanced in years by offering a fantastic value, two-course senior's lunch, and what better to reminisce those bygone days than over some delicious food and splendid views of the Black Mountains beyond.

For some time I made the mistake of thinking that no group of restaurants in the region of 200 locations could hope to maintain the quality for which I was looking.

Then one day I decided to put my prejudices to the test, walked into Oxford Ask! and discovered that I could not have been more mistaken. Their claim to serve freshly prepared quality food in stylish and comfortable surroundings with friendly and efficient service proved to be absolutely spot on.

Since then I have also discovered that a degree of consistency seems to operate throughout their restaurants, and that certainly does take some achieving, implying a degree of management that is enviable. They are perfect places for an impromptu snack, a bit of culinary grazing, or the full works, and families are catered for particularly well.

Their trendy décor usually comprises tiled floors and black furniture with well set tables that sparkle with glass, silver and spotless linen. Ten starters include crostini and bruschetta, followed by a range of salads, pasta and al forno, oven baked pasta, some with chicken.

The pizzas are stone baked in the oven, creating a crisp, authentic and delicious flavour, and they all come topped with mozzarella and tomato. Calzone introduce a touch of opulence with a folded pizza baked in the oven and topped with garlic butter and melted grana padano, whilst inside expect to find chicken or a vegetarian mix.

Amongst the specials may I warmly, in every sense, recommend the polpette al forno, a popular Milanese dish of beef meatballs sautéed in garlic with fire roasted peppers, caramelised onions, chilli and pomodoro sauce, with penne pasta, topped with cheese and oven baked.

An enticing selection of desserts list banoffee pie and tiramisu amongst them, and the coffee tastes like coffee, which may sound banal, but I guess you know what I mean. Thanks to a well selected wine list speculative drinking can offer handsome dividends, even with prices rarely crossing the £20 barrier.

This is the noisy bit of La Brasserie, and it certainly lives up to its reputation. Whilst essentially a brassserie it has a strong inclination towards seafood and the emphasis is on informality. A starter of Provencale fish soup or a pint of cold shrimps could underline the enthusiasm for seafood and it could then become a choice between a cutlet of baked hake or medallions of venison with port wine sauce. The Welsh cheeses here are legendary but there is always something for the sweet of tooth as well. The wine list is probably one of the best in the city with a fine selection of reds. House wine starts at £10.95. Service is civil and businesslike.

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.

Just a five minute drive from Caerleon is the pretty village of Llangybi in the picturesque Usk Vale - a location renowned for its trout and salmon fishing - where you can find the historic White Hart Village Inn, originally built in the early 1500s. It is a wonderful 12th Century Grade 2 listed building that, after a period of extensive renovation and restorative works in 2007, re-opened in April of the same year under new ownership and management.

A venue with real character, its rich history has seen it at one time under the ownership of Henry VIII as part of Jane Seymour's wedding dowry; a century later serving as Oliver Cromwell's headquarters in Gwent while latterly featuring in the T.S. Eliot poem 'Usk'.

Retaining a wealth of historic features, including its original 16th century fireplaces, it is somewhere that you can sit down to while away an evening with fine drink and during those cold winter months enjoy the warmth and crackling sounds of a real open fire.

The extensive flagstone seating area to the rear allows for a relaxing location to enjoy the far reaching views to the Wentwood hills.