Perched in a col high above Rhuthun/Ruthin, its lights once pricked the night sky. By day or night, the restaurant was unmistakable.
From September 15th, new tenants at last opened up the Clwyd Gate. We wish them well. But history is not on their side.
After something of a chequered past, including a spell under the ownership of local pub & hotel disaster Herself, the closed Clwyd Gate opened five years ago and lasted just two. It's been vacant a while since, for over three years, in fact, till now. It remains a landmark and, mounted as it is, it obviously enjoys fine views. But are these enough? In the recent past, clearly not, though we'd really like to suggest otherwise.
The new tenants at the Clwyd Gate promise high-end dining. In Rhuthun, they atre not alone. We sampled their lunchtime menu (in daylight, to take advantage of those views) and found both light bites ("lite bites"—ugh) plus a choice of one, two or three more substantial courses at £9.95, £12.95 or £15.95 respectively.
We tried haddock & chips. The batter was appetisingly light and the chips deliciously but gently seasoned. Just right, in fact. Alongside mushy peas came something of a surprise: a small salad. Not what you tend to expect; perhaps fish chips & salad marks out the Clwyd Gate’s dining as "fine".
The chosen pudding was apple & toffee pie, with cream and ice cream. No calories spared, here. The addition of toffee added a new twist to an otherwise classic desert. All that was missing with the spoon was a fork to help collect the last mouthfuls. All in all, a nice meal in pleasant surroundings.
Wandering in after two years, some things have changed and others have not. The lavatories that were refurbished when last opened looked identical. There were the same stacked logs in the fireplace. The beige, taupe and fawn squared carpet's been replaced by something more traditional restaurant. The dining chairs were different, though judging by their appearance, not quite new.
On our chosen day, there were 13 diners and, as we left, two more arrived. Some, like us, would have been inquisitive, having heard of the Clwyd Gate's re-opening. Whether numbers will be sustainable as curiosity wains, we cannot say.
2015's a better year to reopen than when the previous tenants did so, back in the depths of recession, in 2010. But with restaurants struggling in Rhuthun/Ruthin itself, yet with Rhuthun restaurants all within relatively easy staggering distance after an alcohol-accompanied meal, what chance the Clwyd Gate? The Seasonal Kitchen never appears to have but a couple of covers but will shortly change hands to offer yet more "high-end" dining; ditto the Star Bistro; while the Manor House doesn't appear to be able to survive without its accommodation. The Middleton Grill (for sale) and On the Hill both have cornered the fine-dining segmeny. How can the Clwyd Gate compete in such a mixed market?
Subjoined to its restaurant side of its business, the Clwyd Gate proposes to have occasional live entertainment but it's all too far from anywhere. In any case, does a band always sit comfortably with haute cuisine?
This is what we said when the Clwyd Gate re-opened in 2010. Then, basically, reflecting changed tastes, it went from chicken in the basket to linguine with shrimp…
We tried haddock & chips. The batter was appetisingly light and the chips deliciously but gently seasoned. Just right, in fact. Alongside mushy peas came something of a surprise: a small salad. Not what you tend to expect; perhaps fish chips & salad marks out the Clwyd Gate’s dining as "fine".
On our chosen day, there were 13 diners and, as we left, two more arrived. Some, like us, would have been inquisitive, having heard of the Clwyd Gate's re-opening. Whether numbers will be sustainable as curiosity wains, we cannot say.
This is what we said when the Clwyd Gate re-opened in 2010. Then, basically, reflecting changed tastes, it went from chicken in the basket to linguine with shrimp…
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