Review of 'The Rhydspence Inn'

The Rhydspence Inn was recommended to us by our B&B in nearby Kington so we decided to give it a try - We are very glad we did.

Located on the A438 just down the road form Whitney-On-Wye and a short distance to the north of Hay, the Rhydspence Inn is a 14th-century Inn that offers a haven for visitors. There is a small dining area in a modern extension to the Inn as well as several eating “nooks” and a bar with a large garden eating area looking out over the Wye valley. We visited early on a Friday evening but it was fairly quiet though it got busier as the evening progressed.

We chose a booth in one of the “nooks” with two facing seats with tall backs offering a degree of privacy from the other four booths in the room. There is a restaurant and “bar and grill” menu that is quite small but very well balanced. We chose to start with the “Chicken Liver Pate with Cumberland Sauce & Toast” (£7.50) from the starters section of the restaurant menu.

Pate

The smooth pate was delicious, not at all gamey, with two nice pieces of toast, a small container of redundant butter, and a delicious chutney. I only wish there was more pate!

Duck Breast

From the bar menu my companion went for the duck breast (£18) which included a very dark red-wine jus and two duck leg croquettes perched on a bed of mashed potato. Extremely rich with the duck cooked perfectly though the whole dish was a bit dark.

Pork Belly

I had the pork belly (£17) which was also perfectly cooked - Extremely crunchy skin (perhaps too crunchy - often I pulled apart the dish trying to get through it!), juicy meat and a wonderful layer of fat. It was perched on top of a bed of mashed potato and covered with a thin gravy. The sprig of green on top was completely ridiculous and the whole plate looked a bit unbalanced though it did leave plenty of room to add some of the sides that came with our meals…

Vegetable Sides

The vegetable sides were plentiful, if a bit uninspiring as all were just boiled with no seasoning. The addition of cucumber and fresh beans was very welcome – cooked perfectly.

Our bill came to £46.90 for the two of us (including two bar lemonades at £2.20 each) that did not include a service charge which we had to pay at the rather crowded bar. The service throughout was warm and surprisingly efficient despite their having to hunt around the various spaces for their clientele.

Great price, fantastic views, friendly staff and good food. Definitely worth looking up if you are in the area.

Rating: “Really good but I have some issues”

Review Date: 2019-08-23


Cuisine: American/British

Address: Rhydspence Inn, Whitney-On-Wye, Herefordshire HR3 6EU ENGLAND

Location: Herefordshire (England) - Whitney-On-Wye

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Telephone: +44 (0) 1497 831262

URL: https://www.rhydspence.com/