Stephen Nottingham's Food Blog: The Barley Mow, Graig Penllyn

Sunday 23 September 2012

The Barley Mow, Graig Penllyn

The Vale of Glamorgan pub tour continues with The Barley Mow in Graig Penylln. We visited on a dismally wet September evening, though The Barley Mow soon cheered us up.

My whitebait starter was about perfect; lightly-breaded, with good-sized fish so you got both the fish and the crunch - not just the crunch of some pub whitebait. It was served with a ramekin of home-made tartar sauce, a beetroot-leaf salad drizzled with balsamic vinegar, and a piece of fresh lemon to squeeze.

Brie in Light Batter Parcels was my partner’s choice. Three deep-fried brie parcels were served with a ramekin of cranberry preserve.

I had the Rump of Black Welsh Beef, cooked medium-rare, served with a couple of sautéed mushrooms, and some salad leaves.

Our other main was Lamb Steak, served with a rich jus and roasted vegetables. There was also plenty of meat on this plate.

With the mains, I went for new potatoes and my partner the chips. I usually prefer the new potato option, but the chips at The Barley Mow are very crisp and very good – I recommend you opt for them!

There is a sizeable wine list, although we opted for beer and cider. I had Bishop’s Fingers (Doom Bar and an IPA were also on draught).

Local sourcing has a high priority. The potatoes used to make the chips, for instance, come from nearby Windmill Farm. Beyond that, there’s also a Scottish feel to the menu (I’m guessing the owners may be from Scotland), with smoked salmon, black pudding and other quality Scottish ingredients.

We made use of a Groupon voucher on this occasion: one of our more successful Groupon experiences. This characterful village pub is definitely one of the “hidden gem” contenders on this Vale of Glamorgan tour.

Directions:

By car, leave the A48 just to the west of Cowbridge at the Penllyn turn (in Penllyn you’ll see The Red Fox). Carry on northwards through Penyllyn until you reach Graig Penllyn.

The Barley Mow

Graig Penllyn, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan CF71 7RT

Tel: 01446 772558

http://www.barleymow.net/

The Vale of Glamorgan pub tour:

The Merrie Harrier, Llandough

http://sfnottingham.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/the-merrie-harrier-llandough.html

The Pelican in her Piety, Ogmore

http://sfnottingham.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/the-pelican-in-her-piety-ogmore-village.html

The Farmers Arms, St Brides Major

http://sfnottingham.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/the-farmers-arms-st-brides-major.html

The Bush Inn, St Hilary

http://www.bushinn-sthilary.com