Head chef Dickie Flinn welcomes all to Anderson’s, the restaurant at The Waterloo Hotel, having taken over as patron from Bob Evans last November.

Dickie is no stranger to a kitchen, having worked his way through the ranks up to head chef. He began his career at The Inn at The Elm Tree, the first five-star inn in Wales, under the guidance of Mike Thomas, and has also worked at the Holland House Cardiff (a two-rosette restaurant) and St David’s Hotel Cardiff. Dickie was head chef at the Waterloo when it was re-opened some 10 years ago before deciding to take it over.

“We will be using various cooking styles,” Dickie told Voice. “We’d like to think that our dishes will be mainly based around classic French and traditional British cuisine, with hints of outside influences from around the world. All dishes will be made using fresh ingredients from local suppliers, such as the Welsh Brothers, Ashton’s and Nigel Ford Fruit and Veg Supplier. There’s a strong focus on getting the very best produce from our meat, fish and game suppliers as soon as it comes into season. All butchery will be done in house, using every last bit to reduce waste and get as much flavour as we can – making things such as cooking stocks and fats.”

“We’ve updated our kitchen with a few gadgets purchasing new equipment such as a cold smoker for making bacon, a sous vide for our amazing 36-hour cooked belly pork and a mincer for making our own salami. The menu changes daily, with a modest six starters, six mains and six desserts for people to choose from, allowing our dishes to be incredibly fresh to reflect seasonality and availability. Recent dishes that have proved to be popular include slow-cooked lamb shoulder, rotolo of goat’s cheese, pine nuts and spinach, and baked salmon fillet – some of which I’ve prepared for Voice to photograph. Another thing that we’ve introduced, which is a huge hit with our regulars, is our UnFourSeen menu – a four-course menu where the chef will discuss with you your likes and dislikes, and then create something unique using whatever fresh ingredients are available in the kitchen on the day. At just £25 per person, it’s no wonder UnFourSeen is proving to be so popular. “We will also be offering a Lite Bite lunch menu starting from as little as £5.50, for a quick yet memorable business lunch.

Carrying on from the Waterloo’s success of catering for all food lovers, Anderson’s will continue to offer a great selection of vegetarian and vegan options, as well as creating dishes for individuals who have specific dietary requirements.

Food is served from noon until 2pm seven days a week, and in the evening from 5.30pm until 9.30pm Monday to Friday and from 6pm until 9.30pm on Saturday.

“Every Sunday you can sample our award-winning Sunday roast. There’s a wide choice of roasts each week, which come served with fresh seasonal vegetables and homemade gravy. We also offer delicious vegetarian and fish dishes to entice you. Booking is advised for Sunday lunch, which is priced at £13.95 for two courses and £16.95 for three courses – the menu changes every week, so there’s always something new to try. “We’re taking bookings for Mothering Sunday on March 11, and tables fill really quickly – there are still a few tables left for the family but they will soon be booked up, so be quick! And, as this is the February edition of Voice, we have created a special four-course Valentine’s Day menu, which is priced reasonably at £25 per person and will be served on Wednesday, February 14 and Saturday, February 17.

“Throughout the year, we will be continuing the Waterloo’s swing band music nights, and we’ll be introducing other genres such as classic instrumental, jazz and blues – we’re currently in the process of finding a resident pianist to serenade diners while they enjoy their food. Watch this space!”

So, if you’re looking for somewhere new to try this February, why not pop into Anderson’s at the Waterloo Hotel? Located adjacent to Newport’s Transporter Bridge, this iconic venue makes for the perfect setting to enjoy a relaxing drink and gastro-style food at any time of the year.

Anderson's at The Waterloo Hotel and Bistro

113 Alexandra Road, Newport NP20 2JG

01633 264266

www.thewaterloohotel.co.uk

Facebook: The Waterloo Hotel