Sunday, June 25, 2017

Pantygwydr restaurant, good food, strange smell

Pantygwydr Restaurant, Swansea, serving French food
The Panty-gwydr. For a restaurant promising authentic French cuisine it doesn't sound French. Nor is its location on a back street just away from the town centre auspicious. Husband is equally suspicious because we can get a table on a Saturday night at short notice. But as our first choices are fully booked and it has been recommended to me we go for it.

I booked it for his birthday last December too but then ended up in hospital so we didn't get there so I was tempting fate when we were slipping down the muddy valley path in the afternoon and I joked about breaking my ankle. But I didn't so this time we got there.

And it was very busy! Which might explain why the woman who came to our table immediately to tell us about the changes to the lamb dishes on the menu, didn't greet us and looked, I was going to say grumpy but maybe straight-faced is more accurate, all evening. I didn't see her smile once. I'm not sure if she were the owner or manager but she seemed to be feeling the pressure. The waitresses on the other hand were pleasant.

Our appetisers didn't arrive until just after our starters but all the food was good. Husband had traditional French fish soup, followed by Tournedos Rossini, followed by Le Vanille (a trio of mini desserts, including pannacotta, creme brulee and something else).

I had pressed chicken with red onion marmalade, duck in cider sauce and Le Caramel (again a trio of mini desserts). Sadly my phone camera was full and wouldn't let me take any photos or I'd have been able to make your mouth water. 

The only problem was the smell. There was a strange smell that only I could smell. It wasn't a food smell, in fact it wasn't anything identifiable. It was really irritating me and putting me off my food. I even tried sniffing the old wood beam next to me in case it was in that but it wasn't. 

It wasn't until we'd nearly finished our meal that Husband noticed that the gents' toilet was just behind me. It wasn't a toiletty smell or even a normal air freshener smell but that it was a smelly anti-smell device of some sort was the only conclusion I could come to.

If we go again I'll make sure that we don't sit in the same place. And we may go again as the food was very good. Having said that neither of us could remember the last time we ate out so talking about the next time may be premature.


5 comments:

Sharon said...

Sorry about the strange smell. It may not have been the location at all, who knows? When my smelling was more acute, I could smell someone's gum stuck to the underside of the table. Sometimes floor cleaner or furniture polish can mess with a nose. (Or the person who sat in your place previously ...) Could your husband smell it? The food sounds interesting, too bad you didn't get pictures. Yes, if I were you, I'd try the place again. :-)

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

I ate out with friends last night and we were entertained by a tiny mouse , running round one corner (the cafe's part of a 15th century building , probably riddled with mouse holes). Hasn't put us off , we've been going there for years , but a man at a table nearby looked a bit alarmed .

Liz Hinds said...

No, Husband couldn't smell anything, SJ. What was also strange is that there wasn't a smell of food at all.

No, I wouldn't have minded a mouse, sonata. As long as he didn't pong!

Ole Phat Stu said...

Is Panty Gyrdl welsh for ladies' underwear?

nick said...

First rule of eating out - avoid tables near the toilets! Though as you say, it may not have been a toilet smell at all. A shame if it put you off your meal though.