 THE last time my wife and I went to the Plough Inn, Llandegla it proved OK - nothing more, nothing less - with decent food and pleasant service, but the place was somewhat dark and uninviting. If I remember rightly, we were the only diners that evening. In other words, not one of the most memorable Taste Tests. So why return so soon when there are still places in North East Wales on our "must try" list? The simple reason is that the Plough is now part of Lloyds Hotels group which, in the past couple of years alone, has also acquired the nearby Bodidris Hall, the former Clwyd Gate Restaurant at Llanbedr DC - now controversially renamed The Forge - and the Anchor Hotel, Castle Hotel and Middleton Arms, all in Ruthin. Of those, the only one I have visited is the Castle Hotel and that was thoroughly enjoyable, and reports of the fare at the Plough were just as promising. On our arrival it was immediately obvious the Plough has undergone a complete revamp and, on a miserable Saturday night, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming and there was a buzz about the place. There were also highly enticing smells coming from the kitchen and dining room. The sight of a couple setting up giant speakers in the corner of the lounge bar ready for the evening's entertainment was rather off-putting, but thankfully the music did not start until we were leaving a couple of hours later. Though early, the four of us - wife, son, daughter and myself - were shown to our table straight away and left to peruse the lengthy menu, with its "BOGOF" (Buy One, Get One Free) offer on some dishes during January. There are, incidentally, various other "specials" such as senior citizens' lunches on Wednesday and curry nights. Only my son and I risked having starters, and I paid the price later on when, for the first time in my 12 years as a Taste Tester, I found myself having to refuse a sweet. I had grilled sardines with sweet chilli and coriander salsa, and it was just as I had hoped - four large, meaty fish and a perfect complementary dressing. Like the Peking duck spring rolls ordered by my son, which came with chilli, honey and soy sauce, it was almost enough for a main course. Unfortunately the beer-battered cod, apparently one of the most popular items on the menu, was sold out and so my son opted for chicken breast filled with oyster mushrooms and served on spring onion mash with wild mushroom and tarragon sauce. Satisfied customer number one! My daughter decided to try something completely new for her - seabass fillets on fried egg noodles, with mixed peppers and a sweet and sour sauce. The fish was huge, covering the whole bed of noodles, but it all disappeared. Satisfied customer number two! | 
