Castle View Hotel, Chepstow

As the name suggests, this pretty hotel, in Bridge Street, is within a stone's throw of Chepstow Castle. The 300-year-old building is easily accessible, with parking opposite.

The hotel itself is quaint and homely. The restaurant area is dim but lit with candles, ideal for a romantic evening.

My companion started a belt-bursting three-course session with prawn cocktail. But it wasn't any old prawn cocktail. The seafood was served on a bed of mixed leaves with a Marie Rose sauce laced with cognac (£3.95).

I had creamy garlic mushrooms in light pastry (£3.70). Mushrooms have seldom tasted so good. Both meals were delicious.

For the main course I chose noisettes of Welsh lamb, but was told by the waitress that it was off the menu, so with a quick look back through the list I ended up with mushrooms again.

This time they came in a stack of herb pancakes filled with fricassee of courgettes in a cream sauce (£9.95). Very good, but a bit of mushroom overload.

My companion opted for the mouth-watering poached supreme of salmon with Hollandaise sauce (£10.95).

Despite having no room left in our stomachs we forced down a dessert. I went for a knickerbocker glory, but was really too full to enjoy it.

My companion went for raspberry pavlova (£3.50 each), which she thoroughly enjoyed.

With a bottle of Australian Wilson Quay dry red wine, the bill came to £48.50.