A warm and hearty meal

ON a cold night, a warm, hearty meal was just what I wanted.

The Plas Derwen, Abergavenny, is one of the town's most respected pub/restaurants and has recently re-opened with new owners.

On a Tuesday night we were one of only two groups dining in the spacious restaurant.

For starters, my partner chose breaded garlic mushrooms which were tasty and perfectly cooked.

I ordered the soup of the day. I was told it was mushroom soup but when it arrived with a gorgeous hot bread roll it tasted like potato and leek and could have been warmer.

Our main courses filled the large plates; the surf and turf was piping hot, delicious and filling.

The sirloin steak was a tad overdone but the order of peppered sauce was perfect - creamy and spicy - and the dish came with a mountain of fresh crisp salad, and chunky chips.

The Plas Derwen has a good range of lagers and beers and a large glass of house red wine was a fine accompaniment.

There were several desserts on offer, and there is a reasonable option of two desserts for under £6 but unfortunately we were too full, although the pancake stack looked very tempting and a different option to the usual pub desserts.

A two-course meal for two and drinks came to £31.70.