Cwrt Rawlin Inn

Beer, good. Food, meh.
Staying at the Travelodge across the roundabout, the Cwrt Rawlin was not going to escape my clutches for dinner. It’s part of the Marston’s Inns and Taverns chain, so I am somewhat familiar with it.
On this particular evening, the parking lot was packed. I don’t know if it’s usually this busy or it’s the Cheese Festival that has dragged all these people to Caerphilly. Either way, walking in was pleasant. Lots of families with kids always makes me feel welcome. As an American, I know what a «bar» is and the sort of crowd that inhabit them. This was nothing like that.
Most of the tables were filled and there was a warm conversational buzz about the place. I managed to find a table against the wall and perused the menu. It’s the typical British (Welsh?) way of doing things, where you place your order at the bar with your table number and pay for it there, and when it’s ready the staff bring it to your table.
I opted to go with a beer I’d never heard of, Ringwood’s Fortyniner (a bitter) and a safe bet of bangers and mash. The food was about ten minutes and while it had the right presentation, the flavor and texture were completely missing. The bangers («sausages» in American) had no flavor, almost like they had been boiled. The carrots were mushy. The mashed potatoes were just bland. I wouldn’t recommend this at all.
When my meal was done, I left. After that, I just wasn’t interested in hanging around or having another pint.

The Cwrt Rawlin has become a regular spot for a quiet and, occasionally, not so quiet Friday night social. For my close group of friends, the Cwrt Rawlin is a regular haunt that has provided the backdrop for many memorable nights over the years; be it birthdays, Christmas Eve celebrations or just a random local night out.
The bar is stocked with a good selection of beers, wines and spirits, and offers the ever-​tempting option to double up your chosen shot when ordering a spirit with a mixer; which can often be the difference between a quiet night and a forgotten one. However, service can be a wait at times, with me regularly finding myself left staring at an empty glass for prolonged periods of time when the pub is busy.
They also offer a solid food menu, with Wednesday being the resident Curry Night, Sunday boasting a traditional Sunday roast and the great deal of two courses for £4.25 from Monday to Saturday. Although, the standard of food varies from time to time, with a previous experience of Red Leicester chicken arriving minus the chicken, i.e. being served up a delicious helping of melted cheese. Yum.
Serving faux pas aside, this is a good pub to find yourself in on a Friday night.