Star Rating: **** When you want a traditional home-cooked meal, there’s no place like home.

But when mum’s having a day off from the stove – where do you go? No matter how these restaurants try and compete they never quite manage it.

That was until we found The Hand at Llanarmon.

My family has got quite a reputation for booking restaurants in the middle of nowhere on days when it is either pouring down with rain or it is so foggy you can hardly see the road.

So my brother Scott’s 30th birthday was no exception – the Upper Ceriog Valley was waiting for our arrival and it was pouring with rain.

The Hand was booked on my parents’ recommendations after they had enjoyed a Sunday drive with my nan and stopped for afternoon tea and cakes.

We arrived to find some of our party already at the restaurant, with my Nan sitting in front of the traditional farmhouse stove in the reception area – cosy and welcoming was certainly an understatement for this 16th century farmhouse.

The owners, Gaynor and Martin De Luchi, were front of house, ready to offer us menus and drinks on arrival and trying their very best to accommodate us – even with one of us on a walking stick, another on two crutches and another with a bad back and hardly able to walk! They must have wondered what had arrived!

We were shown to our table in what my dad informed us was once a cowshed, but with our long table for our party of 11 in the what is now a long bay window, we felt more than at home.

The menu offers a traditional Sunday roast but also has a bar menu available for peope who want to try out the home-made chips and the selection of home-made delights.

There seemed to be a sigh of relief when everyone looked at the menu, as so often Sunday lunch menus are so predictable but The Hand’s menu offered something a little different too.

Although saying that I still went for the home-made vegetable soup which was served with delicious home-made bread. While others enjoyed the chef’s own chicken liver pate, the oak-smoked salmon cocktail with tomato mayonnaise and shallow fried tiger prawns was hailed as “fantastic”.

Have you noticed the theme yet? That’s right, nearly every dish served at The Hand includes something home-made and the owners along with head chef, Grant Mulholland and second chef Eifion Edwards, pride themselves on serving locally sourced produce, including meat, eggs, ice-cream, puddings and cheeses.

A choice of three starters is ample for a Sunday menu but most restaurants offer the same number of main courses, so we were all very impressed with the array of mains to choose from – seven in fact.

Although I would never have put braised lamb shank (Welsh of course) with peppercorn sauce, I ordered it as I enjoy a lamb shank rather than slices of lamb which was the other option on the menu.

What a good choice it was too. The meat fell from the bone and the peppercorn sauce wasn’t too strong but complemented the meat perfectly. Served with roast potatoes and a selection of vegetables which included by favourite red cabbage I was in my element.

Other family members thoroughly enjoyed the beef, saddle of lamb and grilled cod.

The only criticism (and it wasn’t really a true criticism as it depends on personal preference) was that the saddle of lamb could have been served in thinner slices, rather than the thick “slabs” it was served in. Also, the vegetables which were served were tasty and plentiful except the carrots which most people enjoy.

However, the waitress was more than happy to serve some more when we asked, although as the last sitting of the day the carrots had obviously been as popular with other diners. But the large dish of red cabbage and cauliflower brought out within seconds more than made up for it.

Feeling more than full and with the menu offering prices for one, two or three courses, there really was no need for any of us to have sweets. But, you’ve guessed it, the board boasting “Jan’s home-made puds” got the better of most of us.

Although when three huge profiteroles were served on each plate, we all started to wish we hadn’t been so greedy.

But all of Jan’s sweets were thoroughly enjoyed, even if if did mean an extra session in the gym.

Freshly ground Colombia coffee finished the meal off perfectly, especially after the waitress came to say that she was finishing for the day but there was no rush to move from the table. A nice personal touch.

The Hand, which boasts about its “farmhouse style cooking”, has every right to because that is exactly what it offers – at the highest standards.

With the pub open all day, there doesn’t seem any excuse not to try it. Breakfast is served from 8.30am until 10am, lunch from noon to 2.30pm and dinner from 6.30pm to 9pm.

But with the welcoming open fire, it is a must stop-off point or worth making a special journey. But staff are willing to serve sandwiches and cakes if you call outside kitchen hours.

Due to the pouring rain we were unable to enjoy the Ceriog Valley at its best but that means we’ve got another excuse to visit. Next time we’ll be forced to walk off Jan’s pud after enjoying the charm and tranquillity of The Hand.

And with some equally welcoming hotel rooms, then it would be a perfect retreat for walkers who want to explore the Berwyn Mountains or just simply “get away from it all”.

ADDRESS:
The Hand Hotel, Llanarmon DC, Ceiriog Valley, Llangollen
Tel: (01743) 791848

MENU SAMPLE
STARTERS
Traditional Welsh rarebit, served on Jan’s Welsh cakes with mixed leaves and a local honey dressing (£5.00); Chicken liver parfait with home-made piccallili and toasted walnut bread (£5.00).

MAIN COURSES
Edwards of Conwy sausages with mash and cabbage (£7.50); Grilled rib-eye of Welsh beef with tarragon butter, tomato, muchroom and fried onions; (£10.50.)

DESSERTS
Jan’s home-made puds, Raison and cinnamon bread pudding, Profiteroles and Baileys mascarpone.

ATMOSPHERE
Cosy.

SERVICE
Efficient and welcoming with knowledgeable local staff.

DISABLED FACILITIES
Flat access but no separate disabled toilets.

SMOKING POLICY
Smoking bar area but non-smoking restaurant.

By Kirsty Marston