Gower Peninsula: King Arthur restaurant review

The King Arthur Hotel is a traditional country inn. Located in Reynoldston, at the heart of the Gower Peninsula, the hotel has a reputation for good, home-cooked food, and a wide choice of traditional ales. The hotel also provides accommodation, and an al fresco dining area.

The first thing that strikes you about the King Arthur, is its warm atmosphere, and friendly, courteous staff. The menu is varied and extensive, with an emphasis on locally sourced produce, such as locally-caught seafood, and local Welsh beef. There is also an extensive wine list, a children's menu, and a generous range of vegetarian options. All dishes are very reasonably priced, and it is possible to enjoy a three-course meal, with a couple of drinks, for around £20 per head.

Our starters arrived quite quickly after ordering. I sampled the cockles and laverbread, which arrived topped with bacon and melted cheese, served in a ramekin, with a side salad, sippets of bread, and a portion of Welsh butter. Laverbread, made from seaweed, is by its very nature, a little on the gritty side. However, the four main ingredients were combined in well balanced proportions, and proved such a flavoursome combination, that the tiny bit of grittiness did not detract from my enjoyment of the dish. In fact, I thoroughly recommend it.

The starter was surprisingly filling, so I was grateful for the slight delay before the arrival of the main course. I opted for traditional pub fare - a home-cooked lasagne, with chips and side salad. My food arrived well-presented, hot, and surprisingly tasty. The lasagne was cooked to perfection, with no hint of the dryness or overcooking which so often spoils restaurant lasagne. The meat sauce filling was generous, and of an ideal consistency, neither too runny, nor too dry. The cheese sauce topping was also just right - it complemented the pasta and the meat sauce, without dominating.

The King Arthur offers a generous dessert menu, ranging from traditional treacle sponge pudding with custard, to more sophisticated options, such as apricot and almond tart. Options also include locally-produced Joe's ice cream, available in more than a dozen flavours. I opted for the Turkish delight flavour, which was delicious. My companions all ordered treacle pudding with custard. There was a fairly long delay between the ordering of the desserts, and them actually arriving at our table, but the convivial atmosphere and friendly service more than made up for the slight inconvenience.

Overall, I would thoroughly recommend the restaurant at the King Arthur Hotel. It makes for a relaxed and enjoyable dining experience. What more could you ask for than tasty food, served in a clean, cosy and welcoming traditional inn, by efficient and friendly staff?

The King Arthur Hotel, Higher Green, Reynoldston, Gower, Swansea, SA3 1AD. Tel. 01792 390775, email info@kingarthurhotel.co.uk.

Gower Peninsula: food

The Gower Peninsula offers holidaymakers and locals many gastronomic delights. Too many, in fact, to cover in one article. So, over the coming weeks and months, I'll be publishing various food-themed articles, which, hopefully, will add up to a useful guide for locals and visitors alike.

One good thing about visiting, or living close to a place like the Gower Peninsula, is the wide variety of locally produced food available. Many of the local farms grow and sell their own vegetables, fruit, meat, dairy and other produce, offering a nice alternative to the mass-produced goods available in local groceries and supermarkets.

One place I hope to visit soon, as I'll have access to a car, is Crickton Farm Shop, located at Crickton Farm in Llanrhidian, which is on North Gower. I believe the shop is open to the public on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The farm is quite easy to find. If you approach the village of Llanrhidian via the North Gower road from Swansea, on the left-hand side, you will see signs directing you to the farm, just before you enter the village. The shop sells a wide choice of vegetables grown at the farm, as well as Welsh cheeses, beers and preserves. If you have any queries about the shop and its produce, you can call 01792 390136.

Another place I'm hoping to visit this year, is Nicholston Farm, located just off the South Gower road, between Penmaen and Oxwich. I've passed there many a time and seen their enticing sign, but having always been dependent upon public transport, I've never stopped off and visited. There is a farm shop, as well as a cafe that comes highly recommended. The farm also offers you the chance to pick your own fruit and vegetables, especially soft fruits. The availability of pick your own is roughly 10th June to 25th July. I understand the farm often also has plants for sale in the spring/early summer. For further information, call 01792 371209, or check out the website (link above).

If you like lamb, you might want to try some award-winning Gower Salt Marsh lamb from Weobley Castle Farm. The sheep graze on marshland near to Weobley Castle, and thrive on a unique diet of saltmarsh grasses, samphire, sorrel, sea lavender and thrift. I'm reliably informed that this diet contributes to a fine-flavoured lamb, much sought after by top chefs and gourmets alike. The lamb is delivered to order, within 24 hours. If you wish to collect the lamb directly from the farm, this may only be done by prior arrangement. Contact information is available here.

The above are just a sample of what the Gower Peninsula has to offer in the way of fine local produce. I hope to uncover information about more local food producers over the coming weeks and months, and will be certain to pass my findings on. Happy dining!