Wales

This traditional pub is set deep in the Welsh countryside, six miles from the historic market town of Brecon. It attracts a happy mixture of locals and tourists who flock to the popular Brecon Beacons.

Owners Andrew and Jill Felix bought the pub in February and have already stamped their mark on it. Andrew has 35 years experience in catering, having started out as a chef in a fish restaurant in London's Covent Garden.

The couple turned to pubs 10 years ago, with food always playing a central role in the business. The Usk Inn serves good, honest, pub food - the portions are generous and you feel as if you're getting value for money. And while there are plenty of combinations of interesting flavours, such as honey-roast duck with apricot and tarragon seasoning, the language on the menu keeps everything simple and the dishes don't need long-winded explanations.

Andrew and Jill recently introduced an extensive fish menu, with dishes ranging from baked sea bass with a red wine butter sauce (£13.95), to dressed crab salad with new potatoes (£10.95), and pan-fried sea trout on a bed of spicy noodles and ripped basil (£9.95).

If it's Welsh fare you're after - which, let's face it, has to be tried if you're a tourist - you've got a good choice, including goats' cheese and Caerphilly cheese sausage, served with beetroot chutney (£10.95), and Middlewood Farm venison steak served with a liquorice-scented red wine and port sauce with a hint of star anise and celeriac purée (£13.95), to name but a few. The cheese sausages even managed to satisfy the non-vegetarian among us, as they were packed with flavour.

Puddings on the Usk Inn menu veer towards the more traditional and include apple pie and custard and warm treacle tart, which went down extremely well.

The large, country-cottage style plates and little extras such as a complementary bowl of special breads were a nice touch.

The staff struck us as not only professional, but also friendly and relaxed, and went out of their way to ensure we had everything we needed - including the Sunday papers as we waited for lunch to arrive.

Jo Grobel

PubChef rating (out of 10)

Ambience 7, Value for money 9

Flavour factor 9, Overall impression 8

Beers: Hancocks HB and SA Brains on draught, and several bottled beers including Leffe Brun

Main courses: £9.95 to £15.95, evenings

Wines on list: 18 white wines, 18 red wines, 3 rosés, 4 Champagnes

Another thing: Customers can dine in the bar area or in the restaurant for something a bit more formal. The pub has 11 bedrooms