Places to eat and drink

The ban on smoking in public places has already come into effect in Wales so eating out and having a drink out have become much more pleasurable. Here are a few places we have had good meals at:

Elen's Castle Hotel - just down the hill so you would be supporting the Dolwyddelan economy. Good food, but whether they are cooking on the night you want to go has been completely a matter of chance - its recent history is worthy of a soap opera. The hotel changed hands recently so the cooking arrangements are becoming less haphazard; we had a pleasant meal there after Easter - and a good gossip with the new owners!

Ty Gwyn Hotel, Betws-y-Coed - quite smart, excellent food, good beer including Adnam's, but parking is a challenge.

Maenan Abbey Hotel - smart restaurant serving good food with an emphasis on local produce, cosy bar with very good bar meals. Both are worth the journey.

White Horse Inn, Capel Garmon - cosy, friendly pub serving good pub food in an informal manner.

The Bryn Tyrch, at the Bangor end of Capel Curig, is every bit as good as the Guardian said in its recent supplement on the National Parks (for which I cannot find the URL).

We have had a pleasant drink and good food at the slightly down-at-heel Tyn-y-Coed Inn also in Capel Curig.

The Asha Balti House in Llanrwst is a good Indian take-away. Llanrwst also has two excellent fish and chip shops; Tir-a-Mor gets particularly good reviews. Beware that they can close early by city standards, particularly in the winter - sometimes as early as 9pm.

On the negative side, we give the Plas Hall Hotel, down the valley near Pont-y-Pant station, a very wide berth.