North Wales café bar perfect for 'leisurely lunch' with posh Welsh rarebit

North Wales Live

16 hours ago

Casual dining at its best, the recently opened Social café bar is a lively addition to Rhos on Sea's culinary scene - a "go-to" spot for every occasion.
In just a few months this chic new venue in the centre of the charming little North Wales resort has established itself as a versatile destination, offering a selection of mostly classic British fare, with some surprises from other countries, that can be eaten in house or taken away.
Customers can indulge in everything from hearty breakfasts, brunch, salads, sandwiches, cakes and pastries to special Friday and Saturday night wood fired pizzas that sell like the proverbial hot cakes!
There are veggie, vegan and gluten free options and dietary needs are catered for. Portions are generous, the atmosphere is laid back and prices are affordable.
Delicious freshly prepared food in a spacious and inviting setting – Social really delivers - as my former hotelier friend Nerys and I found when we popped in for a leisurely lunch.
I had taken the precaution of booking a table- a wise move, for when we arrived just after midday, the place was already busy with couples, groups and ladies who lunched, tucking into attractive looking platters of food and obviously enjoying themselves.
A mouth watering aroma of cooking and coffee filled the air.... all very promising, Nerys and I thought.
The brainchild of husband and wife team Jon and Tessa Turner, who come from a well known local catering family, Social opened last March in what had been a branch of Nat West Bank and most recently Johnny Dough's pizza bar.
Since then it has gone from strength to strength, remaining open until 8pm for the popular weekend pizza evenings.
King of the kitchen is classically trained chef Tom Durkan, who has worked at Watsons Bistro in Conwy and on Disney cruise ships.
Nerys and I liked the smart new decor that was an attractive mix of modern style and practicality.
Comfortably seating more than 32 people at well spaced wooden topped tables, the ground floor café was spotlessly clean, bright and airy with cream painted walls, distinctive lighting and greenery on the window sills. Mega sized photographs of underwater scenes taken by Tessa's cousin in Australia highlighted the exposed brick wall at the far end of the room.
With my friend's car safely parked in the street nearby, we got down to the serious business of deciding what to eat and drink from the extensive a la carte menu.
Available until noon, the breakfast menu offered toasted crumpets, freshly baked croissants, poached or scrambled eggs on toast and smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on crumpets with chopped cornichons.
Served until 3pm, brunch/lunch dishes included full Welsh breakfast, avocado on sourdough, homemade welsh rarebit, a fruity breakfast bowl and even sriracha benny ie poached eggs with a spicy sauce that originated in Thailand .
From noon onwards customers can also order cakes and pastries, sandwiches, including the famous New York deli and salads such as classic Caesar, honey glazed goats cheese, tofu and smoked salmon. Affrogato, burnt Basque cheese cake and luxury Welsh ice cream provided a sweet finish.
Star attractions on Friday and Saturday evenings are the homemade wood fired pizzas. Vegan cheese is available at no extra cost.
Eight different choices priced between £11.50 and £15.95 include classics such as margherita, pepperoni and Hawaiian as well as more unusual spicy beef, truffled mushroom and nduja calabrese piccante, topped with a fiery Italian salami.
Licensed for alcohol, the drinks list features beers including artisan Nokota IPA from the Llandudno based Wild Horse Brewery, as well as lagers and cider. Also available are gins, alcoholic and mock cocktails, alternative milks, soft drinks and a carefully chosen selection of international red, white and rose wines sold by the glass from £5.50 for 250ml or bottle from £25. The most expensive vintage – an exceptional Australian red shiraz- was priced at £39.
As Nerys was driving, she selected a bottle of alcohol free Peroni lager and I opted for a latte coffee that went down well with my choice of a house favourite - Welsh rarebit.
Priced at £10.95 this, however, was an upmarket version that came on two slices of toasted sourdough bread, topped with pieces of roast ham and finished with chilli jam.
Piping hot, rich and creamy, the savoury sauce was given a real kick with a generous slug of Wild Horse Nokota beer. I could have added a poached egg for an extra £1.75 but the dish was fine as it was and went down a treat. Full marks to chef Tom!
Nerys went for classic Caesar salad with lots of crisp green leaves and homemade parmesan and sourdough croutons tossed in a tangy dressing. Adding warm pieces of chicken breast for an extra £3.50 transformed the salad into a substantial main course.
'Absolutely delicious, but far too much for me, I just can't manage it all," Nerys commented sadly.
However, customers often take their leftovers away with them and our very helpful server provided my friend with a takeaway box so she could finish the dish at home.
Social has a real "feel good" vibe that makes eating and drinking there a pleasure. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at this delightful new café bar and plan a return visit in the near future to sample the pizzas.
One for the notebook? Most definitely!