Knabrock

There are fine views of Swansea Bay from the decked terrace & restaurant of this slick boutique hotel. The cooking is in tune with the seasons & the locality, so expect prime Welsh ingredients including cheese, cockles & Carmarthen ham. Invention & an eye for fashion enliven the classically based repertoire: you could start with seared scallops, Parmesan oil & butternut squash foam or foie gras & chicken liver parfait with spiced chutney & toasted brioche. Typical mains include Welsh beef with a watercress & garlic potato mousseline, slow-roasted tomatoes & a rich red wine sauce or wild mushroom, spinach & Ricotta open ravioli with tomato & olive sauce. Finish with lemon posset, tarte tatin or Welsh rarebit with spiced chutney & apples. Flavours are perfectly balanced & presentation is unpretentious. The reasonably priced wine list includes several choices by the glass.