Owners of The Cwmcarn Hotel, Vinny and Anja Franco, welcome you to their new restaurant in this traditional Welsh local, entitled Fork & Tune.

This stylish new restaurant officially opened its doors on July 4, with frontman Benji Webbe of Skindred officially cutting the red ribbon.

For those in the know, The Cwmcarn Hotel is well-known for its live music and is very proud to support local and up-coming bands from all over the UK, as well as musicians from across Europe and the rest of the world.

Being fans of all types of original and new music, Vinny and Anja, spent a decade touring the festival circuit of the UK with a mobile street food trailer, perfecting their dishes which have been tested on tens of thousands of people – winning many awards and accolades for their dishes along the way.

Two years ago, they saw that The Cwmcarn Hotel was up for sale and jumped at the chance to have a venue of their own. The original plan was to combine their love of music and food by offering a fantastic venue for anyone who wanted to play, a place where people could enjoy Vinny’s amazing food.

“It’s been a while coming, but its great to finally open the doors to our restaurant,” Vinny told Voice.

“For almost two years we’ve focussed on getting the bar and live music right, which we’ve aptly named as Bar, Bands and Bunks.

“Our bunk house has been a huge hit with touring bands, as there’s not many live music venues that offer accommodation – once they’ve played their set they can relax and have a drink with the crowd, no need for designated driver or unloading of equipment back into a van either for that long journey home.

“We’re the perfect destination for the thousands of mountain bikers who come to Cwmcarn Forest Drive each year, as we’re able to cater for all their needs with bunks and food.

“We’ve always wanted to offer the food from the very start, but I’m glad it’s turned out the way it has, as the business has evolved organically into something so much more than we could have ever had hoped.”

Since the couple have opened the doors to the Fork & Tune restaurant, they’ve had great support from their regulars, with Sunday lunch being a firm favourite.

The restaurant has its own sense of style and sophistication, with Vinny and Anya firmly putting their own individual stamp of creativity when it came to the décor. The outside sign was handcrafted by a metalwork artist and throughout the venue, you’ll noticed a wide range of local artists who have contributed to the uniqueness of The Cwmcarn Hotel.

Vinny has been classically trained as a chef in the French style of cooking and is joined by chef “Rabbit” in the kitchen – another experienced and highly skilled chef who has been stationed in restaurants all over the world, such as India, Australia and Europe.

The two chefs root to shoot style of cooking allows for as little food waste as possible, with the menu being inspired by street food with a Welsh twist, combining different flavours to create truly unique tastes.

The menu is short and concise, allowing the two professionals to focus on fresh, high-quality Welsh ingredients, with affordable prices that won’t break the bank.

Main options on the menu include chilli Cwm-carni, an 8oz rib-eye, lamb kofta, puy lentil salad and beer battered fish, along with a fine selection of handcrafted burgers. Vegetarians and vegans are catered for too.

A popular dish with its regulars is Vinny’s Caribbean vegetable curry, which has won many food awards including Best Curry at the Glastonbury Food Trader Awards. Voice highly recommends this dish on your first visit.

The main menu is served from 6pm until 8pm Thursday to Saturday, but also look out for special themed menu evenings on Thursdays, such as their Spice Night where diners could sample two courses with a bottle of beer for only £12.95.

Sunday lunch is served from noon until 4.30pm and there’s always at least three different roasts to choose from each week including roast topside of beef, chicken and pork. All roasts come served with fresh seasonal vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and red wine maribone gravy. Again, there are vegetarian and vegan alternatives available, but please let them know that you are coming, as they can prep! Sunday lunch is priced at £9.95 for one course, £14.95 for two courses and £18 for three. Booking is essential, as the restaurant fills quickly.

As well as offering delicious homemade meals, starters and desserts, in the evenings and for Sunday lunch, The Fork and Tune is also open for breakfast between 10am and 1pm on Saturday, offering a splendid choice of breakfast baps and freshly ground fair trade coffee.

People have been leaving positive reviews on Facebook for chef “Rabbit” and Vinny’s amazing food, but don’t take their word for it, why not try it yourself this weekend?

For regular updates, news and what’s on at The Cwmcarn Hotel, simply like the Facebook page by searching for “The Cwmcarn”.

Fork & Tune - Newport Road, Cwmcarn NP11 7ND

01495 270239

www.facebook.com/Thecwmcarn/