Welcome to the American restaurant dishing up Welsh food

I can't quite recall the details of how I stumbled across The Black Gryphon, Elizabethtown, but a few weeks back I found myself idly browsing the internet and up popped a Pennsylvania-based restaurant claiming to serve Welsh food.

Interest piqued I took a look at their menu and sure enough there it was. Not a vast list of Welsh nosh I'll grant you - pheasant sausages, welsh rarebit, Welsh winter pirogies - but intriguing enough for me to wonder, how did that happen? So, nosey beggar that I am, I got in touch.

Anthony Morgan is the co-owner/manager of The Black Gryphon and admits the Welsh angle is purely down to his family roots.

"My love of food started as early as I can remember. Being half-Welsh and half-Northern Italian food has always been around me but I'm the one who pushed to explore the Welsh side. I never got the opportunity to do it before so this appeared to be the perfect chance."

Anthony and his business partner Mike Cottle took over the restaurant - then called L.C Jordan's - in 2007, bringing with them a new name and a new philosophy.

"We wanted to base the restaurant on the Welsh foundation of using fresh and local produce", says Anthony.

"We spent about two weeks in and around Cardiff doing research for the restaurant before we opened and it gave me a the chance to learn more about my roots.

"Our menu's not 100% Welsh but we do have many items that are influenced by Welsh cuisine and we enjoy fusing styles together."

Sometimes however getting hold of the products the pair want on the menu can prove tricky.

"The ingredients for the dishes we obviously get locally and the Penderyn whisky we can occasionally get from the state liquor store. However what we'd really love is to get some Welsh beer in again. Unfortunately that is quite difficult."

So there's no chance of quaffing a pint from Tiny Rebel, Otley or even Brains' brewery in Elizabethtown any time soon - Welsh craft brewers take note. But will they be raising a glass of Brecon's finest to St David on 1st March or if Wales manage another Grand Slam?

"We do celebrate St David's Day but most folks around here don't understand since they only know St Patty's Day. 

"I wish I could see more of the Six Nations rugby matches", says Anthony, "but not around here."

Visit The Black Gryphon's web site