The Fernery at Grove of Narberth

Seven course tasting menu, we chose pescatarian and vegetarian. The petit fours were fabulous the laver, filled wheel with a mackerel taramasalata was outstanding. The vegetable pot amazing and the cod, lobster and halibut dishes were all delicious with the lobster as a Thai green curry again outstanding. The sommelier Cathryn was passionate and inspiring with both the wine choice (a wonderful Dorset English Sparkling wine) and the non alcoholic drinks flight to go with the various courses. Service and attention were excellent and friendly. They happily honoured the Good Food Guide 10% discount.

We've been coming to the area on holiday at Easter for years, and this is the second year in a row we've been to the Grove at Narbeth. In the intervening months the place has undergone a significant refit, and it's clear that the chef and management have Michelin pretensions; the service is more attentive and polished (if, as a consequence, a little less personable) and the desserts are more consciously gastronomic. Most tellingly, there's now not one but two tasting menus. In a kitchen with less talent this might be a risk - a great local destination restaurant getting ahead of itself, perhaps - but at the Grove this manifestly isn't the case. This year the menu might be more showy but the food still delivers big, bold flavours with self-confidence and style. I ate Sat Bain's Great-British-Menu-maximums dish 'textures of peas' a couple of months ago, and I'd venture to suggest that my pea and ham starter this evening was a more satisfying eat - the salty, melting ham was beautifully balanced by a pea velouté as light as air but packed with freshness. Plus the salted white chocolate and the snails - the cheffy components of the dish - actually added something to the balance of textures and flavours. Mains were equally as assured; Roe deer came with a knockout venison pudding, and the beef and ox cheek simply vanished on the tongue. The desserts in particular seem to have been given a lot more thought - the textures of pineapple dish was crammed with ideas, and featured a spectacular pineapple sorbet that I can still taste. I will definitely be back for the tasting menu, probably next year - by which time I'd imagine it might have garlanded even more awards. Who knows - maybe even that first star... My advice; go and eat there now, and then when it does get a michelin nod you can say you got there before the inspectors. A brilliant restaurant and well worth the trip.