This is a composite review as we are regular attenders. As holiday accommodation providers in West wales, it is good to have a reliable gastro-pub/restaurant to recommend to visitors. This may be a family's “big night out” during their holiday and, from our point of view as founts of local knowledge, disappointment is not an option.

The atmosphere is very relaxed and informal but the “smartly dressed” would not feel out of place on a special occasion. All age groups seem to mingle effortlessly and I can report that it vies for favouritism with The Cors at Laugharne as my mother's restaurant: of choice: and she is 91 years old.

Food is uniformly excellent, with local produce used wherever possible, and accurate cooking and simple presentation delivers the freshest food to the plate with the minimum of fuss and the maximum of flavour: exactly as it should be. The menu adapts to the seasons, but look out for diver-caught mussels, sewin and choice fillet of beef. The dessert menu is a step too far for some, whilst a good choice of home cooked/prepared sweets is available to the “hearty eater”: and not a catering pack in sight!

The wine list is varied and reasonably-priced offering a satisfying selection for most pockets. Staff are uniformly cheerful and friendly and the establishment ticks along as only owner-managed establishments ever really do.

If you are going to run a gastro-pub there are two overriding priorities for attention: the food and the beer. Both at Y Polyn excel in a way that others in the trade would do well to imitate.

Clive Mortlock