Tour our Food Challenge - North East Wales

To celebrate the 2019 Welsh ‘Year of Discovery’ – the North East Wales Tourism & Marketing team laid down the challenge to local eateries to devise a dish that would celebrate the best local produce in the area, along with giving visitors the chance to try something a little different.

For restaurants, the challenge will be to develop at least three tapas dishes or small plates using local North East Wales producers that will each play on the senses and help diners learn more about the 2019 Year of Discovery in Wales.

For cafes / tearooms, the challenge is slightly different and encourages the design of a dessert which again uses as much local North East Wales produce as possible, plays on the senses of those who buy it and incorporates a possible reason to discover our region.

The Challenge

Taking place between 19^thJanuary – 13^thFebruary, eateries across the region will have their entry available each day whilst they also will receive two mystery dining visits that will score their entry, how it is promoted and how it matches the entry criteria.

The two highest scoring dishes from each category will then be invited to a cook-off at the end of February with prizes including the associated publicity, a stand at the Wrexham Food & Drink Festival and other commercial event opportunities throughout the year.

Speaking about the challenge, Destination Manager at Wrexham Council Joe Bickerton, part of the NE Wales Marketing team added;

“It’s fantastic to see more entries again this year – and further highlights the superb level of creativity of our chefs in North East Wales along with the availability of great local produce! We really hope that over the next month, diners across the region and those visiting the area enjoy trying new places and give the Year of the Discovery dishes a try in each venue”.

Tapas Dishes

Edenshine Restaurant

Dish: Discover the taste of North East Wales

Welsh Lamb meatballs, made with fresh minced local lamb
Beer Battered Trout Goujons; fresh local trout from Bodfari
Spiced Winter Vegetable fritters

Address: Afonwen Antique & Craft Centre, Nr. Caerwys, Mold, Flintshire, CH7 5UB

Website: http://www.edenshinerestaurant.co.uk/contactus.php

Gales Llangollen

Dish: Gales taste of Wales

Smoked trout and lavabread tortelinni
Dee valley welsh lamb cutlet with Homefarm black pudding mash
Maesmor hall pheasant doughnut with wilted spinach wild mushroom and red wine jus

Address: 18 Bridge Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire, LL20 8PF

Website: http://www.galesofllangollen.co.uk/

Fat Boar Wrexham

Dish: un, dau, tri

Un- smoked trout mousse (chirk trout farm) horseradish crouts (Henllan)
Dau- welsh lamb skewers (butchers market) llaeth y llan yoghurt, fresh garden mint (covent garden)
Tri- rich Welsh rarebit (big hand ale – Spectre, dry welsh stout, calon lan mustard, Gareth williams cheese) on toasted Henllan bloomer

Address: The Fat Boar, 11 Yorke Street, Wrexham, LL13 8LW

Website: http://thefatboarwrecsam.co.uk/

Fat Boar Mold

Dish:

Fat Boar vegan laver welsh cawl, Dee Cider, in a Henllan bread bowl
Mini Lamb Burger, Rarebit centre, Leek Mayonnaise
Glamorgan Sausage Oggy, Leek and Caerphilly preserved mustard, new potato pasty. Rarebit dipping sauce

Address: The Fat Boar, 17 Chester Street, Mold, Flintshire, CH7 1EG

Website: http://thefatboar.co.uk/

Three Eagles

Dish:

Soft Wyau Llainwen hens egg, wild mushroom & laver powder, mushroom fricassee & fried bread (V)
Ceiriog Valley smoked salmon sashimi, horseradish, marinated apple & keta caviar
Bryn Y Pys Estate pheasant & bacon parfait, confit pear & elderberry reduction

Address: Three Eagles, Bridge St, Llangollen, LL20 8PF

Website: https://thethreeeagles.co.uk/

Holt Lodge

Dish: From the mountain to the Sea

William and Son of Caergwrle pulled lamb belly slow roasted
Lewis Farm Welsh Goats cheese, leek and walnut tart garnished with smoked Erddig apple
Welsh Oggie, William and son, Pontblyddyn mountains raised lamb shoulder braised in Big Hand Brewing Real Ale
Cawl cennin with welsh rarebit

Address: Holt Lodge, Wrexham Road, Wrexham, LL139SW

Website: http://www.holtlodge.co.uk/

The Alyn

Dish: Our Welsh Tapas journey begins in Llangollen and ends in Carmarthenshire

Omelette Sbaen (aka Tortilla Española, aka Spanish omelette) made with Pembrokeshire potatoes & Nant-Y-Garth eggs
Spicy Lamb Crwst, minced lamb and chorizo pastries
Badiau Cig, Beef & Pork meatballs, smoky paprika tomato sauce
Pembrokeshire alioli, cold Pembrokeshire potatoes smothered with fresh garlic alioli
Carmarthenshire Parmigiana, mixed peppers, onions and Perl Las (welsh blue cheese) layered between sheets of Aubergine

Address: The Alyn Riverside Country Pub, Station Road, Rossett, Wrexham, LL12 0HE

Website: http://www.thealyn.co.uk/

The Mulberry Inn

Dish: Tair Blas Bach

Potted Ceiriog Trout cooked with Brecon Gin & Pink Peppercorn Butter
Chirk Castle Pheasant “Bon Bon” with Penderyn Whisky and Redcurrant Sauce
Rhug Valley Pork & Leek Sausage Roll with Erddig Apple Sauce

Address: Llwynmawr, B4500, Glyn Ceiriog, Llangollen LL20 7BB

Website: http://mulberryinn.co.uk/

The Buck House Hotel

Dish: Welsh Classic Pub Tapas

Wrexham Lager Hand Battered Chicken Bites with a Welsh Garlic Alioli
Slow Cooked Welsh Beef served over Cubed Welsh Potato
Homemade “Welsh” Vege Curry with Leeks, Onion, Mushroom, Garlic and Cubed Welsh Potato

Address: High St, Bangor-on-Dee, Wrexham LL13 0BU

Website: http://www.thebuckhousebangorondee.co.uk/

Plat Bach Ty Pawb

Dish:

Welsh dragon sausage on a bed of ponchmipe
Stanley Jones Rhos Black pudding & ham hock ballotine
Llandegla Smoked trout bruschetta

Address: Tý Pawb, LL138BY, Wrexham

Website: https://www.facebook.com/PlatBach/

Shippon Restaurant (The Plassey)

Dish:

Chickpea & Apple Fritter (Vg) – Chickpeas, Plassey orchard apples, Plassey beer batter & tomato relish
Shippon Styled Faggots – Pen-y-Lan pork mince, wild garlic, pan-fried glazed with a tomato & chilli sauce
Welsh Rarebit (v) – Toasted Henllan bread, Magic dragon bitter, mature cheddar served with Shippon brown sauce

Address: The Plassey, Eyton, Wrexham, North Wales, LL13 0SP

Website: http://theshippon.com/

Levant Restaurant

Dish:

Smoked Overton Pork Belly – Slowly Braised In Rosies Cider, & 7 of Our Easton Spices Served with Smoked Artichoke, Garlic Chive, Orchard Fruit and Pea Garden
Spiced Chirk Trout Cravlax – Marinated in Brecon Vodka, Ginger & Worchester Sauce Served with Candy Beetroot, Samphire, Endive Salad & Penderyn Whisky Dressing
Sous Vide Corwen Sirloin Steak Served Pink
Confit Red Onion, Black Garlic Puree, Truffle, Ponzu & Celeriac Dauphinoise in a Cloud Of Oak Smoke

Address: 49 – 52 Chester St, Wrexham LL13 8BA

Website: https://www.levantwrexham.co.uk/

Royal Oak, Bangor on Dee

Mini Beef meatballs topped with Welsh Cheddar cheese in tomato sauce.
Chorizo & onions in a Wrexham lager broth
Confit Chicken livers wrapped in welsh streaky bacon with welsh Penderyn whisky cream sauce
Welsh mustard & welsh honey glazed belly pork skewers
All severed with cucumber & leek pickle, Beetroot chutney & rustic bread

Address; High Street, Bangor Isycoed, Wrexham, LL13 0BU

Website; https://www.theroyaloakbangorondee.co.uk

Moving onto dessert…

Bellis Brothers Restaurant

Dish: Bellis’ Plat o bedwar pwdin

Welsh Border Tart
Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake
Strawberry Pavlova
Carrot Cake

Address: Bellis Brothers Farm Shop and Garden Centre, Wrexham Rd, Holt Village, LL13 9YU.

Website: https://www.bellisbrothers.co.uk/

Courtyard café (Wrexham Museum)

Dish:

A Divine Aballu Chocolate Citrus Delight with Chilly Cow Ice Cream: sensually spiced honeyed chocolate is complimented by a crisp citrus orange twist and accompanied by the creamy sensation of espresso frappe ice cream and fresh fruit

Address: Wrexham County Borough Museum, County Buildings, Regent Street, Wrexham, LL11 1RB

Website: http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/english/heritage/wrexham_museum.htm