THE CURIOUS QUAFFER
THE BULL
This is an article that I have been itching to write up for
several years now. As with most things in life, it is all about
the timing. Life is about doing the right things at the right
time I guess – and the timing for this article could not be
better.
Why? Well, not only have pubs, bars and restaurants now
reopened their doors to the fee paying public in England, but
Wales is also now reopen for business too. Welcome, therefore,
this month, to the Bulls Head Inn in the heart of historic
Beaumaris on the Isle of Anglesey.
The town itself is a captivating, vibrant, smart, charming,
contemporary seaside town. It is steeped in history. As many of
you will know, Beaumaris is on the south east coast of the island
and provides breath taking views across the Menai Strait to the
hills and mountains of North Wales and, in particular, to the
Snowdonia mountain range. The town has a wonderful mix of
medieval, Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian architecture and
is perhaps most famous for the site chosen by Edward I for the
last of his ‘Iron ring’ of castles, constructed in his bid to control
the Welsh! It is described by those that matter, in the castle
world, both as a castle of ‘near perfect symmetry’ and as the
‘greatest castle never built’. It remains, to this day, an unfinished
masterpiece. It is well worth a visit.
Only a very short distance down the road from the castle, on
the aptly named Castle Street, we find ‘The Bull’. It is one of life’s
real gems when it comes to food and drink - and not to forget
it is a 5 star hotel too. It is old, very old, yet has managed to
carefully mix the old with the new. Whilst many of its 400 year
old features are still prominent, it has managed to build into its
fabric both a contemporary, stylish and vibrant look and feel.
There are many things I could write about The Bull - from the
award winning food that is served in its smart, yet informal,
Coach restaurant, to its wonderful cask and craft ales, to its
fabulous gin selection, all the way through to its wonderful bar,
to its open fires in the winter and to its open air dining area,
through the old stable doors at the back, during the summer.
It is an establishment that pulls in visitors, tourists and locals
alike. On Friday evenings you will even find, tucked away in the
snug at the back of the bar, a table set aside for ‘the old codgers
of Beaumaris’. I always find that locals are a good barometer of
quality when it comes to their own local habitat.
The drinks menu at the Bull is extraordinary in many ways.
On it you will find a list of cocktails and mocktails, a whole
host of bottled beers and many beers on draught. As to the
gin – there are over 30 different gins listed, all with their own
recommended accompaniments. For example, the ubiquitous
Monkey 47 Gin is recommended with lime zest, coriander and
Fentimans botanical tonic; Liverpool Gin with mint, star anise
and Fever Tree lemon tonic; the Gin Mare with olives, rosemary
and Llan Lly Indian tonic; the Snowdonia Foragers Gin with red
apple and B.T.W tonic – the list goes on. Totally unique in my
experience.
Yet, as always, it is The Bulls wine lists (note the plural) that
really spikes my attention. Let’s start with the basics – two
perfectly decent house reds and two equally decent house
whites at £17.50/ 18.50 a bottle. Then there is a decent selection
of sparkling wines, some rose, and an impressive list of whites
and reds. Helpfully the whites are split into ‘light textured,
fruity and dry’, ‘medium – bodied, crisp and dry’ and ‘full
bodied, flavoursome and distinctive’. As to the reds they are,
again helpfully, broken down into ‘light textured and fruity’,
‘medium – bodied’ and ‘full bodied’.
Over a period of several years I have pretty much consumed
and tasted the lot – most on multiple occasions! There is not
a bad bottle amongst them. The new and old world are both
represented well, as is grape variety. The prices are remarkably
decent too – ranging from £20 - £38 (and most in the low to
mid £20 range). Many of the wines are also sold by the glass
- another tick. When looking at the menu, which changes
periodically, there are multiple wines that match up to each and
every item on it. Another box ticked. In fact, all the boxes are
ticked. What would I go to off the list? Anything really – but I
will give a plug to the Picpoul de Pinet and the Albariño (both
great with the seafood and fish), to the Primitivo and to the
Malbec.
30 wirrallife.com