Eating out is deliciously different at the Next Door Restaurant, Llandudno’s recently opened award-winning venue. The restaurant promises to use top-quality local and regional produce from fields and sea to showcase the true taste of North Wales.
Word travelled fast and since its opening last May and this newcomer has become firmly established as an exciting addition to the resort’s vibrant culinary scene. Ideally located in Gloddaeth Street close to the town centre and promenade, it has gained a Diners’ Choice badge from Open Table and was nominated as a finalist in the Best Newcomer category for the Go North Wales Tourism award 2022.
However, what puts the place in a class of its own is that here the order of the day is great British cuisine, tapas style, with an innovative menu of small plates and larger plates for sharing, that reflect the changing seasons. Everything is freshly cooked to order by the highly talented kitchen team headed by AA two rosette executive chef Rob Kennish. They even cure their own meats and fish and bake bread and biscuits fresh in-house every day.
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Sophisticated, spacious and spotlessly clean, this independent ground floor venue offers all the style and finesse of modern fine dining without fuss and formality - as my friend Elaine and I discovered when we recently put it to the test.
Llandudno is busy all year but on a chilly midweek evening for once parking was easy and we managed to find a spot in the street right in front of the restaurant, although there is a private car park to the rear. I must say that with only a small signboard on the pavement outside displaying the restaurant's name and menu, the place is not easy to find, particularly at night.
As we stepped through the front door, darkness immediately gave way to a bright eye-catching interior. Minutes later we were warmly welcomed by Razvan, the charming and helpful maitre d’, who seated us close to the front window where we had a great view of the comings and goings on the street.
With its distinctive white walls, black ceiling and dramatic black and white tiled floor the decor certainly had that wow factor. The monochrome theme continued with white tables seating two or four people and black chairs.
Striking oil paintings of local land and seascapes painted by up-and-coming young local artist Freddy Williams decorated the walls, some of which were for sale. Large gold spiral lights descending from the ceiling added to the air of luxury.
After a few minutes taking stock of our surroundings and fellow diners, we got down to the serious business of deciding what to eat and drink. Next Door offered a lunch of lighter bites, sharing boards, salads and sandwiches, an excellent Sunday lunch of traditional roasts and what we had come to sample – the dinner menu.
This included small and main plates of meat, fish and seafood ranging in price from £10 for small tapas to £22 for a large main; sharing boards and bowls for two from £15-£23; sharing mains for two from £58 (with a 24 hour pre-order) and some gloriously tempting desserts from £6. There were veggie, vegan and gluten-free options and dietary needs can be catered for. Prices, though not cheap, reflected the creativity and excellent produce that went into every dish.
I was very impressed with the drinks selection which included a fine selection of artisan and local craft beers mainly from independent producers, spirits, classic co*cktails and soft drinks. The 11-page wine list, however, was in another league, probably one of the best in North Wales.
Some 70 top quality independently produced and sourced wines from all over the world were on offer, plus a more affordable ‘hit list’ of the best of the best red, white and rose vintages by the glass or bottle. From this ‘hit list’ Elaine and I chose a fresh and tangy South African Sauvignon Blanc - a small glass for me and a bigger one for my companion.
After much deliberation, Elaine settled for a large main plate of crispy skin belly pork, cider and mustard cream, black pudding and pickled apple, which came with sides of salad and chips. Beautifully presented and generous in size, she was delighted with her choice
“Absolutely delicious. The pork melts in your mouth and the crispy skin is the best I have ever eaten,” she commented happily.
Three or four small tapas plates are recommended for each person, but not being a big eater I decided on just two. I chose braised short rib of beef with sweetcorn puree and celeriac remoulade priced at £10 and battered crayfish, rouille and gherkins on brioche, priced at £8.
Both plates were first class, tasty and certainly ticked all the right buttons but I still had space for a third and went for an all-time favourite – confit duck leg with blood orange sauce, a real winner at £11.
Forget the calories; we couldn’t leave without sampling desserts. I chose winter fruit crumble with toasted almonds and almond crème anglaise. Elaine selected Welsh cheeses with biscuits and pear chutney. Both were faultless and the perfect end to what had been excellent meals.
The Next Door Restaurant is the brainchild of husband and wife team Rhys and Charlotte Williams, who have owned the adjoining Dunoon Hotel for 20 years. It is the latest stage of an ambitious million plus redevelopment of the abandoned site of the former Grand Ash hotel. This has created a stunning 18-bedroom hotel upstairs and the new restaurant and bar on the ground floor
Although still a new kid on the block, the Next Door is going from strength to strength. Long may it continue to delight customers from near and far with fabulous food and drink, not to mention service with a smile.
Most definitely this is one for the notebook.
The facts
The bill
- Sauvignon Blanc 250ml: £8.10
- Sauvignon Blanc 175ml: £6.00
- Small crayfish: £8.00
- Small beef: £10.00
- Large pork: £20.00
- Small confit duck: £11.00
- Welsh cheeses: £8.00
- Winter crumble: £7.00
Total: £78.10
The details
Service: Friendly and helpful, but be prepared to wait as everything is cooked to order. A new spring menu is coming soon.
Seating: Space for 30 at tables, six at the bar plus outside seating for a further 16. Dogs are welcome outside.
Children: Welcome and can have small plates.
Disabled: Access and toilet.
Parking: Private car park at the rear. Free parking in street after 6pm.
Open hours: In the winter: Tue – Sat, 10am - 2pm and dinner from 5.30pm. Sunday lunch is served from noon to 5pm.
Overall: Great place to eat and drink, but the bill can mount if you order too many plates.
Address: The Next Door Restaurant, Next Door Hotel, 20, Gloddaeth St, Llandudno LL30 2DP.
Telephone: 01492 860787
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