Spring Tasting Review at The Jackdaw, Conwy

If you've ever experienced the Jackdaw at Conwy, no doubt you would have walked straight past the entrance. With only a subtle name plaque to compete with the bustling Conwy high street, it feels like a secret — a hidden gem, so to speak.

First impressions

We arrived ten minutes early, to be greeted at a locked gate. Fair enough — so we wandered down to the quay, admiring the clear views.

At two minutes to seven, we headed back to be greeted by the same unopened entrance. I did start to panic and was on the cusp of double-checking my booking date. One minute past seven, a charming young man unlocked the gate and guided us up the winding stone staircase into the calming ambience of the simple yet elegantly furnished room — a touch of Scandi, with fleecy throws, a minimal bookcase, and a streamlined bar.

The welcome was warm and familiar from both the front of house and the kitchen team, including head chef Nick Rudge.

“Welcome back, Lisa,” warmly stated the front of house. “It’s great to see you again.”

A delightful touch that immediately eased us into the evening.

A first for my Dad

My dad was my plus one this evening, and he’d never experienced fine dining before. Admittedly, there was an unmentioned stress leading up to the evening, as he was expecting something high-brow and stiff.

But that impression vanished instantly. There’s no pomposity at the Jackdaw. Just a relaxed and friendly demeanour, while still being professional and polished.

Local ingredients take centre stage

We were presented with the drinks menu (located miles from the restaurant) and a rustic-looking set menu accompanied by a small map of Wales. These little details made it clear: local produce is the star of the show.

I started with a glass of Gwinllan Conwy Solaris — crisp and zesty — while my dad opted for a tea from Seibiant, a local gem selling loose leaf teat on the high street.

The snacks were brought out by the chefs themselves — a brilliant personal touch that connected us with the talent behind each plate.

Snacks to start

The first half of the menu was all about the snacks. We started strong with a lamb and pepper dulse broth — rich, earthy, and full of warmth. The lamb was an obvious choice for the spring menu, yet the dulse is a homage to Conwy’s waters. These flavours continue across all snacks.

A favourite of mine was the Montgomery Wagyu and Menai Oyster bite — crisp, salty, and succulent. Dad’s top pick was the Spring Sip, a mighty concoction that was both familiar yet new.

When we asked what was in it, the reply was: “Everything green you can think of” which created a lush complexity of flavours. It was genius.

The four grains

Next came a round of spring bites inspired by oats, rye, barley, and wheat.

To heighten the sense of Welsh pride, we were presented with a bilingual extract of a poem written by David Thomas. “All grain but rye from here to hail / And the best wheatbread in all Wales.”

To the snacks: The delightful Hafod & “Conwy Sauce” rarebit, made with Hafod Cheese, Caws Teifi, and Wild Horse Beer, was a standout. Their trademark “Bread of Heaven” is similar to soda bread with its nutty and earthy flavours, it was just as amazing as I remembered.

A savoury porridge layered with mushroom stock and crème was the dish I’d most happily eat again.

Expect a full evening

The snack portion alone lasted an hour and a half. While thoroughly enjoyable, we realised it would be a late finsh. A little note on the website explaining the evening’s flow and timing would be helpful for first-timers, although understand too much detail about the evening may spoil the surprise elements.

Main courses

The first course was a ‘Homage to Heston’ roast chicken jelly and cream of crab, served with a delicately loaded sourdough cracker. Comforting, warm, and indulgent.

Of the two seafood dishes, the Lob(ster) Scaws was our preferred. For me, the caramelised roscoff & vin jaune sauce, which was paired with brown butter poached cod was a tad too similar to the flavour category of the previous roast chicken jelly, so was slightly overpowering. The lobster course beforehand had the usual sweetness, however the flavour was elevated, making it succulent. I asked front of house how it was cooked - The lobster had been brined for many hours, and then barbecued to add the smokiness. Simply stunning.

A note on the team

The knowledge the front of house had of each dish is notable. The passion of the ingredients, the flavours, and the pride of the Welsh history not only stops in the kitchen, but carries along to the front of house team, and is absorbed into the diners. It made me more excited by what is on our doorstep.

A standout course: The Welsh Dairy Cow

One dish stood out to both me and my dad: the Welsh Dairy Cow, paired with wild garlic and cime di rapa. The fillet melted in the mouth, with rich yet fresh wild garlic and mustard flavours. I’ll be thinking of this dish for a long time to come.

Dessert

Onto the sweets: The Riwbob a Cwstard was served as somewhat of a much-welcomed palate cleanser: Light and sweet yet comforting. Nothing overly complex taste-wise, but it set us up perfectly for the last course.

Before dessert arrived, we were handed a graphic featuring a black-and-white photo of Llanfairfechan. Alongside it, a story: “Legend has it the original recipe for Guinness was stolen from a tavern, Gwin Du… Nick and his team have created a dessert inspired by the original recipe… ‘Gynwys’.”

What followed was a barley chocolate delice, drizzled with a yeast and hops sauce, and topped with malt ice cream. Warming, indulgent, and brilliant. Even though I was full, I didn’t want it to end. Not only will this dessert not be beaten in a while, but the presentation of the dish needs to be experienced.

Nick and the team very kindly allowed me to try a couple of pairings throughout the evening, such as the Patricius Tokaji 2017 Aszú which was superb with the Gynwys.

The end of the evening

We finished just after 11pm — well-fed, inspired, and full of pride for what our local area has to offer.

Every dish had its own identity, yet the flavours were balanced and confident. Each plate respected its ingredients, celebrating Welsh produce without fuss or ego.

When we first sat down, Dad winced at the £115 price tag. But on leaving? “For all of that, I think that’s very reasonable,” he said. Trust me — you can’t get better feedback than that from Dave.

If the new summer menu is as delicious and memorable as the spring one, I’d recommend booking a table immediately.

Rating: ★★★★☆

An inventive and memorable food journey - A gem within Conwy.