FOOD & DRINK
the grill house With a new highly anticipated Seager’s restaurant soon to open in Gorseinon, LAURA DAVIES heads to The Grill House in Waunarlwydd, to experience good quality, mid market dining. laura.davies@mediawales.co.uk
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ou can generally tell a good restaurant by how busy it is. And The Grill House is no exception. Every time I pass the Waunarlwydd eatery the car park is more often than not full and just turning up for food on a Saturday night is generally met with a “fully booked” reply.”
@LawsDx
In fact, there is so much to choose from I can not decide! So instead I peruse the wine menu. Again what do I have? There is so much variety I need a slight nudge. The waitress who served us was knowledgeable about the wines which made it easier for us to pick. The Argentinian Malbec won us over and is excellent value at £16.95 a bottle.
The much loved and popular family-owned restaurant has no gimmicks to entice people in, it doesn’t boast picturesque views neither does it have an outside beer garden to attract diners in the sunny weather. But what it does have is consistent and reliably-good, quality food, at reasonable prices, in comfortable, cheery surroundings with excellent and prompt service.
Now back onto the food. I was torn between the Big Grill Special Stilton Sirloin, a 10oz sirloin smothered in stilton cheese and served with onion rings, mushrooms, salad garnish and a choice of potatoes, or the smaller Stilton Medallions, four fillet beef medallions with a port and red wine sauce. As I am tempted to also have a starter, and perhaps even a sneaky desert, I choose the latter.
I have dined at the restaurant on numerous occasions in the past. In fact, I used to work there, when it first opened! So I know only too well how the Seager family, who also run Y Bryngwyn Newydd, in Pwll, Llanelli, pride themselves on attention to detail, service and of course, good food.
My husband chose from the specials, and went for the double seabass fillets, with a hollandaise sauce served on the side and chips.
And with a third restaurant due to open this summer, back where it all started at High Street, Gorseinon, the Seager’s latest venture is very much a topic on everybody’s lips.
We both decided on the garlic mushrooms to start, despite toying over a menu of baby back ribs, chicken tikka spears and cheesy nachos to name a few.
When we visit The Grill House on a sunny Thursday evening, I immediately feel as if the high standards have not dropped. We are welcomed by a smiling and friendly member of staff, who shows us to our booth in the brasserie area of the restaurant.
Our waitress again was up to speed with all the meals and seemed to know exactly what each dish consisted of. There is nothing worse than asking a question about a meal to be met with an embarrassed reply of “I don’t know” or “I will find out.” Ordering was smooth and hassle free - exactly what you want when dining out.
The Grill House has two areas to eat. Upstairs is a light and airy open dining area which is comfortable and relaxed, and downstairs there is the brasserie which is slightly more cosy and intimate with plenty of character and nooks and crannies. Both offer the same menu and it is down to personal preference where you prefer to dine.
Once food was ordered I looked around at all the nick nacks around the room. From beer barrels above our booth to a penny farthing on the wall, you will not get bored looking around. There is even a gate dividing an area and rustic looking artefacts which grab your attention. All tastefully done to reflect the mood and character of the room.
The menu choice at The Grillhouse is extensive, with everything from burgers, fish and meat dishes to a variety of steaks and big plates grills. There is also a specials board, vegetarian meals and even a new gluten free option.
There are a mixture of couples and families dining as well as a larger birthday party. The mood is cheerful, but not noisy and it is relaxed and not too stuffy. Children are welcome and there is a kid’s menu available.
The Grill House | 43 Cwm Clyd, Waunarlwydd, Swansea, SA5 4TR | Tel : 01792 879966 | Website: Seagers.Wales 70 swansealife.co.uk