Glengower Hotel

Along the promenade in Aberystwyth, north towards Constitution Hill, is a great bar/hotel called the Glengower. It's been a staple of our trips to Wales ever since we started coming here as a family in the early 80's. The owner's have changed over the years, as has everything else about the bar except for the numerous picnic tables looking out onto the Irish Sea. There really is no better place to sit on the prom, the Glengower being the only bar in the vicinity and always full of families, stragglers, students and the like. They also have a pretty nice menu. One afternoon I stopped in for a cheese and pickle sandwich, one of the best sandwiches I've ever had; simple, fresh and served on crumbly wholewheat granery bread. A welcome alternative to all the heavy fat and fried food to be found throughout the town.

Light of Asia

When in Britain, at least one plate of Indian food is a must, though it's always hit or miss. Last year in Aberystwyth, Kelly and I got take out from an Indian restaurant not far from our hotel and it was horrible. I suppose we should have realized it wouldn't be a very good meal by the lack of clientele during the dinner hours, but everyone makes mistakes. Light of Asia, on the other hand, is always busy, and for a reason. It is the best Indian food in mid/north Wales, and has been as far back as I can recall. The decor has been different every time I've eaten there over the past 20 years, this trip it was a very modern and neon design, a French synth-pop aesthetic, but the menu doesn't suffer. We ordered naan, samosas, and various curries and vindaloo; all very good and very, very SPICY. The spice overshadowed the tastes quite a bit, and it wasn't my favorite kind of hot (as Sayeeda pointed out, it tasted like the spice was from a paste on all the dishes.) The lamb on the other hand, which was the meat of choice in all our dishes, was perfectly cooked, tender and rich. Nothing compares to Welsh lamb.