The Welsh restaurant Ynyshir has been named as the UK’s best at the prestigious awards ceremony The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2022, becoming the first to be crowned the winner in this category outside of England for the first time in 16 years.
This epic win for Ynyshir, which is located near Machynlleth in Powys, adds another gong to the venue’s two Michelin stars, five AA rosettes, and top ranking in Wales in the Harden’s Guide.
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Judges described the Restaurant of the Year as "combining a thumping soundtrack with a succession of tiny plates of punchy, Japan-influenced cuisine cooked over fire" and praised the restaurant, cheffed and owned by County Durham-born Gareth Ward, for providing "a culinary experience like no other".
It's website warns people of: "The theatre of the kitchen taking centre stage. Expect fire, intense world flavours and the best meat and fish from around the globe."
And with it being dubbed as "without doubt one of the most unique and exciting places to eat in the UK at the moment, possibly in the world", you may be wondering what is so special about this food?
Here, we take a look at what's on the sample menu and how much a lunch or dinner here will set you back.
What's on offer?
The incredible restaurant is located in the most stunning surrounding and boasts an impressive 30-course tasting menu.
While these plates are bitesize, the depth of flavour is astronomical and is a true definition of the phrase: small but mighty.
If you are keen on taking a trip to this 'destination restaurant', you must know that due to the unique dining experience on offer, they unfortunately do not cater for any dietary requirements nor do they offer substitutions for any of the dishes, as per their website.
Make sure to set aside some time for your lunch or dinner seating as the tasting menu will take around five hours to enjoy - but enjoy it you will. According to their website, if you're coming for lunch, you will need to arrive for 12.30pm. For dinner it's 5.15pm.
The "immersive culinary experience" has 30 dishes which are detailed in their sample menu (below) that has been split into a series of fish, crustacean, duck, chicken, pork and Welsh lamb dishes before arriving at Ynyshir’s famous wagyu beef and a selection of sweet plates.
For our review of Ynyshir in 2017 click here.
While the menu itself leaves a lot to the imagination - the dishes' descriptions are just a few words long hinting at the flavours involved - it gives visitors an exciting insight into what's to come. But what they can expect is a celebration of the chef's ethos: ‘Ingredient led, flavour driven, fat fuelled, protein obsessed’.
The sample menu (which can be found on their website here) is as follows:
A beginning dish described as Not French Onion - followed by:
Lobster
Raw Tail - Nahm Jim
Thaidorri Claw - Satay
Shrimp- Green Curry
Scampi - Sweet Chilli
Prawn - Wild Garlic
Chilli Crab - Deep Fried Bun
Scallop - duck liver
Hamachi - Wasabi- Furikake
Blue Fin Tuna Belly
The Un-rolled HandroII
Aged Blue Fin Tuna Belly
Black Cod
Miso Cured Black Cod - Aged Kaluga-Shiitake
Salt Cod Soup - Smoked Butter - Parsley
Madai - Nashi Pear - Yuzu
Duck
Liver - Bramley Apple - River Bacon -Spelt
Larb
Hoisin - Cucumber
lberico Pork - Char Siu
Welsh Lamb - Spare Rib
Chicken Wing - Katsu
A5 Japanese Beef
Burger - That First Bite
Rump Cap- Black bean
Sirloin Splishy Splashy - Ponzu - Oscietra
Dessert
Buttermilk - Whey -Thai flavours
White Chocolate - Black Bean
Yorkshire Rhubarb - Bakewell
Birch - Rye - Spelt
Bramley Apple - Duck Custard
STP - Tahltian Vanilla
Tiramisu
For after dinner
Manjari - Shiitake - Kaffir Lime
Not chamomille tea
If you're after something a little lighter, customers can book a table in their outdoor bar and casual dining venue - though this is not part of the main restaurant and does not offer the tasting menu.
From their booking page, this option, named the Legless Fach reservation, offers: "Natural wine, beer and small plates served under our stretch tent. Weather permitting! Menu changes weekly." -
Each reservation in this section is for an hour and a half. To secure your table, Ynyshir requires a deposit of £10 per person, which will be taken off your bill. For information, see here or visit their Instagam.
Where is it?
The award-winning restaurant and hotel is set on the Dyfi Estuary in a house which was once Queen Victoria's hidden retreat. It dates back to the 1750s and has been run by Gareth Ward and his partner Amelia Eiríksson since 2013. Expect the rolling hills of Snowdonia in the backdrop and stunning green gardens surrounding the country house.
Inside the building’s four walls, as well as full flavours being delivered from the chef, the restaurant offers a live in house DJ to amp up the unique atmosphere.
Find it at: Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, Eglwysfach, Machynlleth, SY20 8TA
How much does it cost?
With 30 courses of luxury ingredients, cooked at an award-winning standard - and served in the most stunning of settings - it’s understandable that a meal at Ynyshir doesn’t come cheap.
Lunch or dinner costs £350 per person. If you're having dinner with a room at the house, the price is £495 per person.
To find out more, visit the website. If you're looking to book a table in the near future, you may be disappointed as the restaurant seems pretty booked up for the next few months. However, you can join the waitlist if you're desperate for a taste of the UK's best restaurant 2022.
