The Parc Hotel, Cardiff

This grand Victorian hotel has had a major refurbishment and there is no doubting it has upped its street cred considerably. It looks pretty swanky, with a good deal of 21st-century swagger within its well-proportioned rooms. The restaurant is under the auspices of Martin Blunos (TV, books, you name it) and the Crown group (see entries Whitebrook and Newport). The name Crown Social gives a clue: rather than offering a traditional three-course format, the menu has been built around dishes meant to be shared, mixed and matched. The kitchen delivers punchy flavours on the plate, with a definite Welsh identity, lots of interesting ideas and seasonal Welsh produce at the heart of it all. A poached duck egg, perhaps, with a savoury choux bun, béarnaise and spinach, or Swiss pasta with morel cream and streaky bacon, and rare beef skirt steak topped with pickled onions and finished with a consommé poured by the waiter. There's a good deal of skill and invention on display, and even the Social burger is made with Wagyu beef and comes with a milk bap, tomato relish and avocado butter. The 'nibbles' can be unexpected - perhaps shredded lamb deep-fried and flavoured with lime and mint - while puddings get the wow factor too, as in a perfect honeycomb soufflé with contrasting lime and coconut sorbet, and chocolate and laverbread fondant.