Star rating: * * * *

When it opened in Llangollen more than three decades ago Gales wine bar was said to be the first wine bar, not only in the area, but in north Wales.

And three decades later it has not only survived the test of time but grown in both size and popularity.

A recent lunchtime visit proved that Gales is more popular than ever with a much larger age range of clientele that the young set that frequented when it first opened.

I was a regular visitor as a teenager and had my – very sedate – hen night meal there.

Walking in for the first time in probably 20 years was like stepping back in time. The rustic wooden tables, the wooden floorboards, the blackboard menu were still there along with the trademark wine racks behind the bar.

And the fact that it didn’t seem at all dated showed just how much Gales was ahead of its time back in 1977 when it was opened by Richard and Gillie Gale, both still very much running the business today.

There were just nine tables when it opened. Now there are 20 with the premises extended sympathetically. And the Gale family have now opened a hotel and wine and gift shop, also in Bridge Street.

The wine bar was busy when I popped in with a friend and there was a nice mix of obviously local people and some of the many visitors that Llangollen gets during the summer.

Gales has always relied on its blackboard menus and I suddenly realised that I was ageing when perusing the blackboard meant I actually had to get up and stand close to it!

I guess that the menu is one of the things that has changed as tastes have changed over the years.

One dish caught my eye immediately – tagliatelli with trout and asparagus. Three of my very favourite ingredients in one dish – no need to look further.

Joe, finding a busy week at work stressful, didn’t want a large meal. But the beauty of Gales is that you can choose as much or as little as you like, whether a sandwich, baked potato or three-course meal.

Unchanged was the good array of vegetarian dishes on the menu, something Gales was better at than most when it first opened.

Joe plumped for pate and, having started to relax in the pleasant ambience, was pleased when it arrived to find that it was a large plateful. He said the pate was really tasty with plenty of bread on the side and a large, interesting side salad.

My dish was excellent. There was oodles of sauce smothering the pasta and plenty of tender flakes of trout and pieces of asparagus.

Sometimes pasta dishes can be disappointing, a bit too ordinary. But this really was delicious, especially as it was washed down with a large glass of house red.

Yes, I know fish and white wine go together but white wine and me don’t! In fact, it was one of the best house reds that I have tasted. As we were in a wine bar, I supposed a good house wine was a must.

Joe had Coke, but his indulgence was to come with desserts. He chose a waffle with strawberries and cream, a nice twist on one of Britain’s favourite summer puds. The waffle was huge and he tucked in – Gales had certainly helped revive his appetite!

I was so torn. My favourite memories of the wine bar of the 1970s had been its famous ice creams over which you could choose a liquer as a topping. And the ice-creams were still there, only now just two flavours – home-made vanilla or “hokey pokey” and the option of a liquer on the top.

Visions of ice cream and amaretti were very appealing. But, even though I knew I would not be driving for at least nine hours, that glass of wine had been very large – one of the other changes as nationally, wine glasses seem to have grown over the years. I decided on the cheesecake. And delicious it was too.

We could have quite happily taken root in those wooden benches for the afternoon, but sadly work was calling.

I hope it wont be quite so long before I visit Gales again, and hopefully this time with a driver so I can enjoy the ice-cream.

By Sue Austin

MENU SAMPLE:

Starters: Anchovies on toast (£5.25); Chicken liver and cranberry pate (£5.25)

Mains: Leg of lamb steak served with red wine gravy veg and mash (£12.95); Homemade fish pie topped with mustard mash (£11.25); Vegetarian, fish or meat platter (£10.25)

Desserts: Rich chocolate cheesecake (£4.50); Hokey pokey ice cream (£2.25)

ATMOSPHERE: Busy wine bar feel

SERVICE: Helpful wine suggestions, order meals at the bar

DISABLED FACILITIES: No steps at the front but not a lot of room for wheelchairs inside

Contact: Gales, 18 Bridge Street, Llangollen (01978) 891313