19c Mostly Cloudy
Barmouth Viaduct at Sunset 
Llanberis from Penllyn 
Morfa Bychan beach near Porthmadog 
LET'S eat out we said. One of the village pubs - a mile or so's walk from us. That would do the trick. Good food, friendly atmosphere, nice change. Perfect.
We opted for The Crown at Pantymwyn, near Mold.
Our coats were almost on when we thought we better call first - make sure they're doing food tonight.
Not only were they 'doing food'. They were booked up.
I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me. I knew The Crown was enjoying a growing reputation for its quality restaurant and popular Sunday lunches.
I'd been there for lunch, after all. I knew it was tasty. I'd been there for an evening meal. I knew it was something of a hidden gem.
But not hidden any more it seemed.
"We get booked up pretty well every Friday and Saturday night now. It's best to give us a bit of notice," said the cheerful chap on the phone.
I put down the receiver, disappointed. Back to the cooker, then.
Two minutes later grabbing the oven chips from the freezer, disappointment gave way to a 'grand idea'. Busy was good. A sign of continued customer satisfaction.
Back on the phone, I booked for the following Saturday.
A family friend was visiting from Staffordshire. I'd take her there. Perfect.
Suddenly those oven chips didn't taste so bad.
But they weren't half as tasty as the chips that went with the gammon my friend had when we finally did sit down at The Crown. Yummie, chunky, home cooked in the style chips used to be!
From what was 'a village pub that sometimes did food', The Crown has enjoyed a welcome change of decor and menu since being taken over and refurbished a couple of years ago.
Double fronted, there's a room to the left and another to the right through the main doorway as you go in. Foodies should turn right into the restaurant's cosy bar area. Continue through into the next room to find the dining area, small but decorated in an airy, contemporary style. As forewarned, several tables full of people enjoying their meals. A happy banter filled the room. Although it is small, it is not so small you have to whisper to avoid the next table's diners eavesdropping on your conversation. The atmosphere is informal and cheery, but not so noisy you can't enjoy a good chat.
We sat down and ordered a bottle of red from a reasonably priced, fairly varied wine list. Smiling staff greeted us efficiently giving us just the right amount of time to ponder the menu before taking our order.
It was a mixed offering of Thai house specialities, traditionally British style blackboard 'specials' and a variety of other more unusual dishes.
We skipped starters - if it's a choice between desserts or appetisers, I save myself for the pudding any day of the week. That said there was a variety of options for those who do favour a starter.
After a day travelling and shopping, my friend first toyed with the idea of ordering the salmon with noodles and an intriguing ginger flavoured sauce, but on a sudden impulse she decided to 'go simple' - gammon, egg and chips off the specials board.
For me, it had to be Thai. The sauce on the red Thai chicken curry is so light and delicately fragrant I just couldn't resist. There is something about the way it heightens the flavour of the chicken without being overly saucy. t's a subtle, sophisticated flavour, not too spicy, yet the spice flavours do shine through with deliciously understated aplomb It's a near transparent sauce which perfectly complements the rice too, without making it cloggy.
A small but varied selection of other freshly cooked Thai dishes are a speciality of The Crown's chef and owner Roly Thomas.
There was a decent wait for the food - just enough to settle in and know our choices were being prepared to order - not long enough to worry. The waitresses were friendly, discreet, helpful, happy to give us a short break before taking our sweet orders: vanilla cheesecake with cream, and chocolate fudge cake with ice cream. Not exactly original, but simply satisfying.
The restaurant quietened down towards the end of the evening, but with no rush to throw diners out. The mood was relaxed, chilled out.
The Crown is in something of an out of the way location, but not so out of the way it is difficult to get to, just a couple of miles from Mold. A pleasant change, it's worth the trip.
Cilcain Rd, Pantymwyn, Mold, Clwyd CH7 5EH
Tel: 01352 740347
