1861, Cross Ash, Abergavenny

4:22pm Thursday 13th March 2008

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On the blustery, cold day we visited 1861, one of Monmouthshire's newer restaurants, we were grateful for the warm welcome that awaited us.

Set in an ex country pub, the name comes from the year the building was raised, as inscribed on the gable end of the handsome Victorian building.

I started with the pressed pork terrine, luscious with chunks of meat and jelly and was a delight with a rich tomato chutney. My partner's wild mushroom soup was thick with deeply flavoured fungi.

My confit of duck was beautifully cooked with crisp skin and moist, flavoursome meat. The vegetables I think had roasted in meat juices as they had imbued a wonderfully meaty flavour.

My partner's shin of beef was similarly good, the meat cooked slow and delicate, but I think my duck was the better.

To finish, I was intrigued by the offer of an off-menu blood orange terrine.

My curiosity was rewarded by a vibrant jelly with pieces of red orange strewn within.

Scattered around were slivers of macerated orange peel. These, I learned had been left in syrup and liqueurs such as blue bols to give different colours.

This exemplified how effort and attention to detail can transform a dish into a mouth-tingling treat.

The steamed chocolate pudding was also a bona-fide hit by the way.

Simon and Kate King should be congratulated at the extraordinarily high standard of dining here. Boasting fresh, seasonal and local produce grown by Kates' father, they are making a stab at creating a haven for high-quality, local produce.

These high standards needn't break the bank either, with lunch coming in at £52 including drinks.