Festive Cheer

Hello again folks....
It’s that time of year when everyone is focused on getting their Christmas shopping done, presents wrapped, and all those cards written and mailed off. Here at number eighteen we’ve been tirelessly working to meet these needs. Our dedicated team have put together a range of Christmas hampers – ideal for the food and wine lovers of the world. The hampers start at £35 for the silver, and range up to £75 for the diamond. They are made to order, which allows for some flexibility with the content, and they’ll be ready for collection just in time for Christmas.
As well as this, we’ve just finished the final stages of renovation in the building, and just in time for the festive cheer, we’ve opened our cellar bar! As of Friday 3rd December, you can now pop to the cellar of number eighteen, Monday to Saturday from 6pm-11pm, for a cheeky cocktail, glass of wine, or a beer. Our new barman, a cheerful addition to the team, is a Crickhowell man, Jonathan. When you arrive at our bar, you are guaranteed to be met with a cheerful smile, and helping hand. Jonathan has quickly put his mark on the place, by incorporating some incredibly delicious cocktails, perfect for ‘putting your feet up’ after a hard day of shopping, or just a nice little aperitif before dinner.... which can be had in our brasserie.
Both the café and the brasserie launched the Winter 2010 menu last week. Some new additions to the café include, the number eighteen ‘beer battered fish & triple-cooked chips’, ‘venison stew, with bubble & squeak’, as well as some festive sandwiches including ‘brie, bacon & redcurrant jelly’. In addition, the café has decided to try something new this year by offering a festive ‘High Tea’, which includes the daily special finger sandwiches, mince pies, scones.... and you can even upgrade your ‘High Tea’, with a glass of house bubbles! What a lovely treat at the end of a long day of spending. AND what’s more.... the café now serves food right up until 6pm!!!!
The focus of our brasserie has shifted once again from the peace and quiet of the Autumn evenings, to the merry & lively party season coming up. The Winter menu continues to boast great steaks, and the number eighteen burger, but there have been some tasty seasonal treats also thrown into the mix. From pheasant, to Winter turkey chilli, to monkfish, there’s bound to be something tantalising to suits all tastes. For more information on all our menus, please visit www.number-eighteen.com , and for any enquiries regarding party bookings and table reservations, please don’t hesitate to call 01873 810337, or e-mail info@number-eighteen.com .
This weekend, Saturday 11th December, promises to be an exceptional night at number eighteen. We are having a Christmas party in our restaurant and bar, which will be graced with the presence of popular local band – the Heebie Geebies. From 8.30pm, the music will kick off, and we’ll be partying and dancing the night away until 11ish. But the bar and the brasserie will be open from 6pm – so get down early to grab a quick bite, then party hard in the cellar bar, and boogie through the moonlight. The team are so excited that they have been fighting for shifts to make sure they are there to see the Heebie Geebies play. So folks, don’t miss out... book your table now, or pop in to the cellar bar early and get liquored up – there’ll be plenty of festive cheer to go around.
I think that’s all the updates from the team for the moment... everyone here is raring to go, and delighted to have you to visit. So why not pop in for a coffee, or a High Tea, have a peek at our bar, and book your place for the festive party season. We are all looking forward to seeing you, and wish you all a very Merry & Happy Christmas. Big love xxx

Half-term madness

Well hats off to the number eighteen team, they’ve only gone and done it again!!! We’ve had a fabulous review from the Monmouthshire County Life magazine. “For a moment you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in a chic city side-street, […] and immediately you realise this isn’t the kind of place content to be discussed in the same breath as more traditional ‘country’ restaurants.” Whoop whoop… we are all just so chuffed! They continued along the same lines to compliment the chefs and the tantalisingly tasty food served up in our brasserie. Buzzing from this glowing report… we’ve decided to challenge ourselves again.
Faced with the economic downturn that has plagued everyone for the past couple of years, and its apparent wish to stay like so for the foreseeable future, we have decided to hit the ‘hard times’ head on, by launching an economical, yet delicious night café . Not only does our new offering maintain the concept of our brand, by continuing to pursue our goals to produce local, fresh, seasonal produce, but we are doing it in a way that suits all our budgets. Pop on down to the night café to sample our 3-course menu for only £18. Or if you prefer, you could just have a nibble…. With starters ALL sitting at £4.50, Puds £4.50 – why wouldn’t you?! It’s a great opportunity to get together with a group of friends, have a good catch-up, with a sneaky glass of wine, or a cheeky cocktail… and we even cater for the drivers of the evening, with a virgin cocktail, so aptly named ‘dedicated driver’! Pop along to say hello, check out this new concept… and experience the joy that comes with not having spanked loads of cash on a 3-course supper!
But… more immediately, we are having a Hallowe’en party this Saturday night… sweetie treats for kids, some interesting drinks too! Pop along, and if you book your table before 7.30pm, we’ll even give you 15% off! But you need to hurry… not many tables left!
Other news on the horizon… keep your eyes peeled and ears wide open – our cellar bar is opening in the next couple of weeks. If you fancy somewhere to have a quiet drink after a long day in the office… or maybe a cosy spot for a snuggle and smooch… or maybe you just need a good chin-wag with an old buddy – this bar will definitely suit you!
So folks – that’s all the news from the number eighteen team at the moment…. We are all geared up and ready to rock ‘n’ roll for our new night café , our cellar bar, and we have our Christmas treats all ready for those bigger party groups in our brasserie! Give us a buzz on 01873 810337, and we’ll make your party planning a whole lot easier! Looking forward to seeing you all here – Big love from number eighteen xxx

Reviews and Promos..... why wouldn't you drop in and visit??

Hello again...
number eighteen has leaped into the Autumn freshness with some fantastic new tasty delights – both in the café & the brasserie. Our Autumn menus are well underway now, with much great feedback coming from our regular customers, as well as our visiting guests. Many of you have left some great reviews on Tripadvisor.com – Many many thanks!!!
Hot off the press, we’ve had a great review in the Western Mail Autumn Issue too. We are delighted with the review the brasserie received, and it has spurred us on to continue our relentless efforts to serve great, fresh, locally sourced food, in contemporary stylish surroundings. “This isn’t your traditional chintzy country restaurant”. “Great care has been taken to convert the premises into a modern yet inviting space across two floors”. “The emphasis here is on provenance and letting the ingredients speak for themselves”. (Autumn 2010) Fantastic response – Thank you to the Western Mail!

With the evenings beginning to shorten, why not join us @ number eighteen for a cosy cuppa in the afternoon, or a cheeky glass of wine in the evenings. We have inviting sofas on our ground floor, perfect for that little aperitif, and a few nibbles. Any every Thursday we offer ‘live music night’, so the entertainment is thrown in for free!
We are running several promotions over the coming weeks... Currently, every time you visit our café, you’ll be rewarded with a voucher for our brasserie. This offers 15% off your WHOLE bill, if you book your table between 6-7.30pm, Monday-Wednesday. We are running this promotion until 20th October 2010, so pop down to get your hands on one of these sought after vouchers!
In our café, we are operating a reward promotion for all our faithful ‘Facebook’ fans! Go online to Facebook, click on our page, and print yourself a voucher which entitles you to a free regular tea or coffee in our café. Present the voucher at the till, tell us your name, and the brew of your choice! Tell your friends about us, they can become fans, and they too can benefit from this reward.
Keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming promotional activity too... number eighteen invites all families to join them for Family Night. From 22nd October to the 30th (inclusive), we are running a family night special at the brasserie – book your table between 6-7.30pm, downstairs in our restaurant and we’ll give your family 15% off the whole bill. There are a range of Junior 18 dishes available, and for more information you can check out our menu on www.number-eighteen.com

Autumn Menu Launch

So folks, it’s getting to that time of year when the summer buzz is over and we all have to get back into the swing of things…. ‘back to school’… ‘back to work’… but we must not forget that good food is available all year long!!! number eighteen brasserie & café have launched their Autumn 2010 menus over the last week. The café menu maintains the popular choices of sandwiches, paninis, baps etc, but there are a few additions to the menu this year, as well as a comprehensive list of specials available on a daily basis. The brasserie on the other hand has changed most of its menu – our steaks and burgers will remain a constant of our offering, but we’ve branched out this season to extend the taste buds of all our diners. Whilst we are using a lot of our own home grown produce, we are still reliant upon the great fresh, local produce that is delivered daily to our doorstep. Check our www.number-eighteen.com for a better look at the new menus in detail.
After Green Man this year, we were all slightly exhausted – with an average of 250 visitors a day for the month of August, the number eighteen had worked flat-out for the busiest weeks of the year so far. Nonnie, one of our part-timers, who works during her university breaks, won ‘employee of the month’ for August. She was delighted, as were all her colleagues. It was a thoroughly deserved win, for all her effort, unfailing flexibility, and her incredible impact on customer service. Good luck back at university Nonnie, we look forward to having you back at Christmas.
So September has hit, and with the usual ‘back to school’ chaos, comes some reorganisation at number eighteen. We have to say farewell to a number of brilliant team members – Alex, Tom, Henry, Kate, Robyn. But they are finally flying from the nest and heading off to begin their own careers. We wish them every success, and look forward to hearing about these successes when they come back to visit. We also need to bid farewell to dear Alice, who ‘can’t be asked’ on a regular basis, but who’s lovely, and will be terribly missed as she returns to Prague to finish her Masters degree. We have however, recruited some absolute gems to step into the shoes of these leavers. Four new part-time members of staff have joined the number eighteen team, to support the steadfast backbone number eighteen team. Kate, Laura, Sophie, & Fiona are all very welcome to the team – we look forward to you all meeting them.
So folks, busy times here at the café & brasserie – lots of team shake-ups, lots of change on the horizon, but as ever we are committed to providing the high standard to which you, the customers, have now become accustomed. Keep your eyes peeled for information regarding the upcoming promotions at number eighteen. This week it’s ‘coffee and cupcake’ week in the café – maybe you could chance a ‘cocktail & cocktail’ in the brasserie. But there are plenty more events in store…. We have live music lined up for 16th, 30th Sept, & 14th, 28th Oct from local artist Jim Ramsey, who joins us with a 2 hour acoustic set. Pop along to check it out for yourself – even if you don’t fancy a meal, just a few drinks & nibbles.
Anyhow, until next time, keep checking us out on facebook & twitter, and check our website www.number-eighteen.com for a more detailed look at our menus, and a regular update on promotions.

Up....Up.... & Away

It’s been yet another busy couple of weeks for number eighteen. The brasserie has now ‘grown-up’ and we are open for business 7 days a week!!!! Good news for all those hospitality industry workers who don’t get out on weekends… But that aside, we have been plugging plenty of promotions to get our visitors in. Jim Ramsey, a local musician has joined our team for a weekly performance in the brasserie…his music has drawn people in from the bustle of Crickhowell, and is a lovely accompaniment to our delicious menu. We have had a few changes in the team this week…. Dear Gethin has left us for his road trip across the U.S. of A. Having had a brief spell of madness over the weekend, the Tuesday night farewells were rather calm and collected… a quiet drink after work seemed to be the necessary end to a wonderful first couple of months of the brasserie team! And so, life continues…. New staff to recruit, and more shifts to fill … have I mentioned that we are now open 7 DAYS A WEEK!!!!!!!
The coffee shop is booming this week… we’ve seen double the number of people through our doors since the last time we blogged! Great news for all at number eighteen who seem to thrive off this new and exciting busyness. Everyone is getting geared up for ‘festival week’ with exciting new menus to offer from the café and great drinks promotions to keep an eye on in the brasserie! We are even thinking about our future as a taxi service…. I shall reveal more in time!
Jim Ramsey has now become a resident musician with us. He will be playing most Thursday evenings from about 6.30pm..He adds to the great atmosphere down here, and helps to keep smiles on all the team’s faces as he serenades us through the night. Many people have started to join us for drinks and nibbles, and a little listen to the tunes he slips out. Here’s to Thursday 19th August, Jim’s next appearance.
So from all the team here at the moment, a big hello… sad though we all are at Gethin’s departure, we are excited about the new faces to arrive, and the busy times ahead! Pop in to the café to sample some of our culinary delights from the brasserie offering, and whilst you’re here… have a cuppa, and a slice of cake! It’s the summer time… it’s definitely allowed! See you soon folks…number to call us on is 01873 810337. Ta-rah for now x

number eighteen wine and dine.....

The last couple of weeks seem to have flown by here at number eighteen…. The team has really hit a rhythm this month, as the numbers reflect!! Week on week, we just keep getting busier and busier. There is so much to report, it’s hard to know where to begin! We’ve had visitors from around the world grace our seats over the past couple of weeks – some paying particular compliments to the chefs regarding our steaks :) and puddings… the latest special is roasted peach with a blackcurrant syllabub – doesn’t it just sound delicious? Between birthday celebrations, leaving do’s, and ‘just out because it’s a Friday’, the brasserie has seen floods of people cross the threshold. And our café has become a little perkier than usual too. With schools out for the summer, and the holiday-makers of the UK choosing a ‘staycation’ this year, Crickhowell has become very busy lately! The Horse trials at Glen Usk estate brought hundreds of visitors to our doorstep, many of whom were in search of a great coffee….and later some fabulous wines.
We’re still having a few technical issues – a freezer that keeps tripping here and there – baffled and confused electricians, and freezer technicians….angry chefs, it’s a real circus-like theatre from time to time. Having said that, it wouldn’t make life here at number eighteen half as interesting if everything ran smoothly all the time…although we do try! This week we’ve launched a promotion to invite customers to dine with us for a wine experience. At £30 per head, for a 3 course meal, with wine included, it seems like a small treat for anybody with a free Thursday (29th July) night. As well as this, we are getting all geared up for the inevitable influx of people arriving for the August shenanigans in the local vicinity. Green Man is coming up – with great package promotions to come from number eighteen…. Why not indulge in some of the café’s delicious veggie treats (made in house)… or a cheeky glass (or 3) of Pimms?! Nothing spells summer like a fabulously sunny day, with a great bunch of buddies, hanging out over a jug of Pimms!
This weekend is shaping up to be particularly busy folks, so grab that phone, give us a buzz on 01873 810337 – and make your place here at number eighteen!!! We really can’t wait to let you sample for yourselves the tasty treats in store…

Opening Week at number eighteen

Wednesday of last week saw number eighteen brasserie really hit the ground running. Starting the day the team photo was on page 2 of the ‘Brecon & Radnor’, along with some choice words to advertise the beginning of this new venture. Before we even opened our doors, we had plenty of bookings streaming in… On the first night, we hit full capacity, and all the team members felt the buzz of a great atmosphere, mirrored by the great feedback from our customers. Having said that, we made some changes yet again before Thursday’s service, and so the cycle continues. Simone gladly stepped in as maitre d’ on Thursday evening for us – we were a little short-staffed, and she did a sterling job! I worried that some of the customers may have thought that she was on the menu…. And Friday night we decided to give the governor a chance to strut his stuff! Steve joined us as maitre d’ for the first time. He successfully managed to sell about 11 bottles of wine to a lovely table of ladies, who then proceeded to sing their way through the evening. Although his ability to upsell is unrivalled at the moment, his smooth moving through the restaurant is still a little unnerving. Based upon the success of his first night, we decided to give him the leading role on Saturday night too. Much more civilised tonight, as the world cup and England’s first game seemed to take over may lives, Steve wasn’t running so much up and down those stairs. Having impressed several lovely ladies with his charm and wit, his working night came to an end, with a number eighteen ‘special’ (a pre-dinner cocktail served here), and once his wife arrived, Steve managed to catapult his glass across the restaurant and down the stairs. It really was a truly spectacular image, that to this moment I still cannot fathom how he managed it. With that, a speedy departure, and our guest maitre d’ was off…. Several larger parties made bookings, and between the copious amounts of fine wine on tables, and the singing customers and team members, a good time was to be had by all. Saturday morning however, a few spanners arrived in the works – Firstly, Steph found herself swimming in oil in the kitchen….. who knew that there was a special tap to empty the fryer?! Then the kitchen printer decided it was an appropriate time to stop printing, right in the middle of lunch!!!! By evening, we thought we’d sussed it all out, redirecting technology here, there and everywhere! However, the night still proved interesting to say the least – front of house had to be on top of their game to make sure the orders actually reached the kitchen. By Sunday though, we were tired, and most of the team were ready for a day off! Having had almost 200 people walk through our doors, we were content knowing our first week had been a success, and though keen for week two to begin, we needed a little nap. However, we hit back again last night, with yet again a full house and an enthusiastic team!! Steve and Sam popped in for a little aperitif, although this time Steve wasn’t allowed to carry the glass anywhere! Full house meant a happy team, and happy customers left us making return visit bookings…. We are looking forward to the rest of our week – with Father’s Day on Sunday, who knows what surprises lay in store…

Preview Week......

This week has flown by us here at number eighteen. Saturday and Sunday were spent unpacking our beautiful new kitchen, cleaning and putting everything in its right place. Countless pairs of hands on deck, and hours of elbow grease have left us with a stunning new open kitchen, on view to the whole restaurant. The beginning of the week saw stress levels peak, but adrenaline took over, and the excitement and buzz of the preview nights caught hold of everyone like a fever! By Tuesday afternoon, we were a little unsure as to whether or not we would have a restaurant to set! There were builders everywhere, tying up loose ends, electricians blowing fuses, plumbers fixing sinks, and an eager, enthusiastic team front of house who couldn’t wait to get stuck in to clean the place up! All in all, it was chaos – bodies everywhere! Nevertheless, despite a little wager placed between Steve and our friend James Suter (who was convinced it wouldn’t come together) the team pushed on to create a beautiful surrounding for our family and friends on Tuesday night. We had a banquet served for our first thirty-six guests and it was a roaring success... although there are plenty of things to be ironed out, it was great to get the whole team working together for the first time.
At the end of the night, there was a sigh of relief, followed by a quick pep-talk to prepare the team for the following day! Wednesday morning was slightly soul destroying to see the beautiful restaurant overrun once again by the building crew, but the team pushed on, and did it once again! Once the skirting boards were cleaned, and windows polished, the tables laid, and the pre-dinner cocktails underway, everyone was set to go and all fired up.
Both of our previews were a great opportunity to run through samples from our menus, and the feedback from our guests has been great! So, onwards and upwards, we’re making some changes, and putting the final touches to our service. The builders are almost done with the snagging, so all things going well, we should be good to go for our first official night of service, on Wednesday 9th June.

Only a few days to go!

'number eighteen brasserie' is coming along in leaps and bounds. The kitchen fabricators are in, and putting our ‘state of the art’ kitchen in its right place. The last few days have been really hectic both in the office, and on site. Last week we had (what seemed to be) endless amounts of equipment delivered. The fridges, the grill, ovens, ice-makers etc, all came piling in. Unfortunately, the building wasn’t quite ready for their arrival, and so this week we’re taking no breaks and it is ‘all hands on deck’ to get this show on the road. Builders, plumbers, electricians, kitchen fitters are all crawling around each other in the bid to meet the final deadline. The chefs are chomping at the bit to get stuck into their new home – the beautiful number eighteen kitchen! Yesterday, they spent the day working through some sample dishes, which were then tasted and commented upon. All we can say is ‘watch this space’, the food is simply delicious. Front of house team spent the day doing role-plays, getting to know each other, and spent a good hour debating the table arrangements. However, it was time well-spent. Decisions have been made, and it’s all beginning to come together now. The office is still as hectic as ever. We are now slightly overrun with the stock arriving in the door – from mop heads, to woks, to wine glasses, and aprons, the place is a circus of products!
Everyone is a bit overwhelmed by the swanky new EPOS system too... no matter what the training manual says about how easy it is to use, we’re all a little afraid of it. No doubt we’ll soon get to grips with the whole thing, and it will be plain-sailing from there on.
And fresh off the press, you are now able to drink at number eighteen! And we have a fine selection of local beers, ales, ciders & Perries for you to choose from, as well as our carefully selected wines from around the world. Check out the website www.black-mountain.co.uk for more information on your choices.

Two weeks to go....

So... we’re two weeks from opening for our full café offering, with the brasserie following suit shortly afterwards. It’s all beginning to really take shape. The floors have gone in on the first floor, and the oak really does complement the exposed stone walls. After a minor hick-up with colours on the stairs, the staircase should be fitted this coming week. The grey glass blocks rippling throughout the building emphasise the element of light and space, which is further complemented by the stainless steel and glass set-up. Michael is leaving us for a short while, so he’s imparting all his worldly wisdom on the rest of the team to keep the show going in his absence. Michael’s wit will not however be missed....there’s always space for a funny guy in the office! Steph is drying the tea-towels, and wondering what life has come to. Lisa’s getting excited with the stationary cupboard – numbered dividers are a gift! And Steph is fighting to keep the colour co-ordinated ones..... do we sound like a bunch of caged monkeys yet?! Steve is out of the office, so all is well on the home front – when the cat’s away the mice will play! Simone is skiving this afternoon – fed up of envelope stuffing, and stamp-licking, she’s kicked back to relax with the kids. Lisa is venturing towards 20th century technology and exploring the possibility of the ‘laminator’! Things are heating up in the office... deadlines to be met, builders to haggle with, electricians to track down, and plumbers to get the ball rolling.... All in all a very productive day at number eighteen – hopefully we’ll make it to work on time tomorrow!

We are expanding the highly successful number eighteen café in Crickhowell Powys with a 100 cover, state of the art modern, brasserie offering local, seasonal and where possible organic food, opening June 2010.

The Brasserie will celebrate the very best locally sourced, seasonal vegetables and meat products with the emphasis on provenance. This includes how the food is prepared and served as the kitchen is open to the public dining areas.

The Brasserie wil be about great taste and keeping 'fussing with food' to a minimum. Hopefully our new menu refelcts this. Served up in modern, comfortable and environmentally friendly surroundings.

We intend to open 7 days a week!