The Cardiff Menu

Cardiff based food blogger, giving honest, in-depth, knowledgeable reviews of (but not limited to} the Cardiff food scene.

THOMAS, Pontcanna, Cardiff.

Posted on February 17, 2023 by thecardiffmenu

It took a little longer than I would have liked to write this review, always worried things will get a bit hazy if I don’t get it down soon after the event. Thankfully, this was a meal I wasn’t going to forget, and for all the right reasons.

Thomas by Tom Simmons has become quite a regular posting by other reviewers/bloggers we follow on social media, never seemingly criticised, and always held in high regard by those that know. Plenty of times I have gone to book but the time was never right, I wanted to be in the right headspace, I didn’t want to go just for the sake of a review.

Walking in you’re immediately met with the bar area, the layout didn’t seem a million miles away from when it was previously The Cameo Club, however the fixtures and fittings certainly have. 2 tone colour scheme walls that continue throughout the restaurant, the bar is beautifully lit and has a touch of art deco about it. There was nobody at the bar, the 5 empty cushioned stools crying out for someone to join them and relax with a good spirit, or one of their ample wines, another time perhaps.

After we have been taken to our table, our server kindly takes our coats, this is a first for me, a nice touch which if I’m honest, shouldn’t be a rarity. The menu is well laid out with 6 starters and 7 mains, there’s also a ‘For The Table’ section which you should give your undivided attention…basically I am telling you to order several things from here.

Our choices were the Ground Bakery Bread and house butter (heard good things about this) and the Fried Chicken with Lime Mayo. Now the Ground Bakery is literally next door, other than being baked on the premises it’s not going to get any fresher. Served as a kind of large cob, it’s cut into 4 (so you get equal amounts) and comes with mushroom butter and their house butter, I preferred the latter as I am not a huge lover of mushrooms, I ate both.

It’s only bread and butter you might say, but sometimes there really is nothing better than a soft bread with a firm crust and a nicely salted butter smeared across it, or a mushroom butter in fact, and as bread and butter goes this offering is as good as you’ll find.

The Fried Chicken is excellent, as good if not better than any I have had before, and who would have thought that Lime Mayo would elevate to a place you didn’t think possible? Tom Simmons did, that’s who, and that’s why he does what he does. If I had to be super picky, some of the pieces had very little chicken and a lot of coating, however when the coating tasted that good I am not even sure if that’s a criticism. I’d eat that fried coating all day long.

For main I had the Fillet of Welsh Beef & Mushroom Tartlet at £33, yes more mushroom, I’m trying to convert, I also added a Green Peppercorn sauce. At this point the old adage ‘Taste, don’t eat‘ will serve you well, you can’t rush this, your palette won’t allow it. Every mouthful is divine, your mind making a mental note to remember just how good this is as your knife glides through to cut the next piece. There’s a lovely char to the top of the beef that provides texture and depth of flavour, the permanent grin on your face likening it to an audition for The Joker.

The Green Peppercorn sauce is everything you want it to be and accompanied the beef perfectly, I took my servers recommendation and she wasn’t wrong.

I’d love to tell you more about the mushroom tart but I would be kind of guessing as to what made up it’s parts (other than mushroom) what I will say is this…it was delicious and the tart itself perfectly crisp and super thin.

Seating is fairly close in the restaurant but this actually works in your favour, everytime a table sits down you purposefully eaves drop as to what they are ordering, whenever a dish comes out you side eye it to see what you are possibly missing, stopping short of asking for a bite. When you hear someone order what you’ve had you feel like a proud expectant parent, and listen in for their approval as they eat…sorry, taste it.

Wine – I had a lovely Chardonnay De L’Ardeche to wash all this down with, so easy to drink and really refreshing, £34 a bottle or you can buy it by the glass. Small isn’t featured on the wine list but you can ask for it.

My dining partner ordered the Welsh Lamb Cannon with Black Garlic, came out looking like a cover photo for the Michelin Guide, all positioned, dressed and cooked with purpose. Beautifully cooked.

Sides consisted of the infamous Tom’s Chips and Glazed Carrots with spiced seeds. These chips are golden, crispy, and are layer after layer of fluffy goodness, seasoned to perfection.

The Glazed Carrots are cooked just how I would like them, not too hard, just still with that bit of bite without losing their form. Again taste incredible, and the seeds providing a contrast in texture but also adding to the overall flavour of the dish.

Both these sides married perfectly with the beef, 3 individually stunning dishes that can stand out with balanced flavour in their own right, also coming together to make a truly memorable taste experience.

The beauty of this kind of cooking, clean, precise and perfectly portioned is that when it comes to dessert there is no question as to whether you have room for one. I am not saying you are left hungry, far from it, you just don’t feel stuffed, you feel well fed, content, ready to try more. Eating food like this isn’t a chore, and it leaves you wanting more. You don’t come here to wolf something down and disappear in to the night, you savor it, you converse between courses, you just relax and enjoy the experience.

I digress, for dessert we ordered Peanut Butter Parfait with Banana, Chocolate and Peanut Brittle £10 and Petit Fours, Salted Caramel Truffles and Seasonal Pate de Fruits £7

The Peanut Butter Parfait was smooth and creamy as you would expect, the brittle had the perfect amount of ‘crack’ not chewy and didn’t shatter. The peanut butter flavour never becoming ‘too much’ balanced just right, the different textures and temperatures of each part combining to be the best dessert I have had in a long time.

My experience that evening was one that will certainly linger, it’s not every day you get to eat food this good, this well loved. The service here is good, very good actually, it was busy as they are most nights yet you are never left wanting, check backs are made, more drinks are offered, they are attentive without being over bearing. Glassware and cutlery are super clean, cutlery is replaced and matched to your meal accordingly, time between courses is perfect. The overall ambience is spot on, appropriate music at a good level, lighting is spot on as is the temperature. My only negative (and it’s a small one) I found the chair really uncomfortable, the single wooden back dug in to me everytime I leaned back, resulting in me sitting bolt upright the whole time, hey it’s good for your posture right?

Thomas by Tom Simmons is a restaurant you need to visit at least once, just to see how food can really taste when everything combines, quality local ingredients, a chef with passion to deliver excellence and a skill level higher than most. I will certainly return (when the wallet allows) it’s not a cheap dining experience and nor should it be, but it’s worth every penny, this is special, savor it, and remember…taste, don’t eat.

Pasture, High Street, Cardiff.

Posted on November 10, 2022 by thecardiffmenu

It was a wet, miserable Saturday afternoon and we had a reservation 30 minutes before Wales kicked off against New Zealand just a street away. Was this a good idea? Wiping intermittently at the steamed up windows of the bus ride in, this was a journey only made bearable by the thought of returning to Pasture, a year after my last visit.

Since opening 2 years ago, Pasture has firmly established itself as a front runner in Cardiff’s dining scene, if you want to book on a Saturday evening in the 6pm-9pm slot, you’ll be waiting months, and what other restaurant can claim that? They can cater for walk ins but that’s always a risk, so is it’s popularity warranted? Let’s see.

On entering the first thing that struck me was the music, fairly loud beach house style, felt more like a beach bar in Ibiza and although not what I was expecting and slightly distracting it soon began to feel, well right. The restaurant was awash with Welsh Rugby jerseys, a well organised booking for many, no Greggs when we get into town for these fans, each table filtering out at kick off approached.

Pasture is busy (as always) and there is a good buzz within the restaurant, I have never been to a restaurant with so many staff, all busy, all smiling and all working as a team. Pasture blends the formal and informal perfectly, the bar sending out cocktails, Tiny Rebel IPA and £800 bottles of wine all under one roof. Exposed brickwork and pipes although perhaps becoming a little cliche really work here as an aesthetic and the addition of wood paneling in other areas prevents it feeling too urban.

I doubt this is the first review you have read of Pasture, I was treading where many had gone before and therefore had seen that the Short Rib Croquettes £6 were a firm favourite, I didn’t hesitate to order these and I’m glad I did. A lovely crispy coating packed full of that rich, tender short rib beef and the Gochujang aioli providing a hint of sweetness as well as a lingering heat in your throat, long after you’ve eaten them. Fantastic.

Just in case you weren’t aware, Pasture is all about Beef, and lots of it. Sourced from farms in Wales and the South West it can definitely be classed as local produce, and each steak is cut fresh by the in house butchers. For the range of cuts, weights and quality it’s far more than just your average steak house.

For our main event we went with a 550g Chateaubriand, at £13 per 100g this came to £71.50, however this price includes two sauces and two sides, so good value in my eyes if dining as a pair. The beef itself was exceptional, unbelievably tender, barely had to chew it, wonderful flavour from the coal and cherry wood method of cooking and the lovely gnarly edge giving it a nice char. The sauces chosen were Peppercorn and Whisky Teriyaki, both excellent.

The sides we chose were Spinach Gratin with leeks and cheese, and Truffle Chips with Cornish gouda cheese, these would cost you £4.95 each on their own. Additional sides ordered were Seasonal Greens and Dripping Chips at £3.95 each.

The Spinach Gratin was well seasoned, the taste of the leek and cheese really coming through, it was rich, warm comfort food and I ate the lot. The chips were as they should be, hot with a crispy coating and a fluffy centre, again well seasoned.

To wash all this down I had a 2018 Thorn-Clarke Shiraz from Australia, with flavours of black cherries, plums and mulberries it matched my meal well and was very easy to drink. £8.75 for a 175ml glass.

To finish was The Spiced Rum Trifle £7.95, whipped coconut, charred pineapple, poached quince, ginger cake, lime, hazlenut and sprinkled with chilli flakes. Absolutely delicious, everything balanced well, the cocunut and hazlenut adding texture to the rum soaked cake, there may have been room for a touch more rum….hic!

It’s not just the food that is exceptional here, the service matches it every step of the way and more. They have really understood the importance of the customer experience and the mission to create a wonderful dining experience, something so many fall short on. Restaurant service is my bread and butter and so far, I have yet to experience better. I need to give a shout to our Italian server Miriam, delivering a faultless service with notable touches such as notifying us she was going on a break and introducing us to who would be taking over our table during that time.

Pasture is the kind of restaurant that will cover any occasion, going on a date? Book it. Going out for drinks and want to eat first? Book it. Catching up with friends? Book it. If you’re willing to eat outside of regular times you will have no trouble getting a table here, you’ll just wish you had done it sooner.

Bar 44, Westgate St, Cardiff

Posted on October 14, 2022 by thecardiffmenu

I booked the day off work today, for no other reason than I fancied just mooching about town, bit of shopping and the chance to have a nice lunch. I had a good peruse through my socials the night before to decide on a venue and noticed Bar 44 were doing a lunch offer, £13 for 3 tapas 12pm – 4pm (Thurs and Fri). That was that then, decision made.

Bar 44 is part of the 44 group which also consists of Asador 44, Mercardo 44 and the newly opened boutique hotel Parador 44, all held in high regard. A former canal warehouse, it’s subterranean rooms and arched brick ceilings offer a real sense of atmosphere when you enter the restaurant and definitely adds to the dining experience as a whole.

Bar 44 is also a good venue if you are looking for just a drink, they have an extensive drinks menu, specialising in Sherry, Gin, Rum, Spanish wines and cocktails. I will admit that I have never had a Sherry, I wasn’t about to change that today, but when I do, I’ll make sure it’s here that I pop my Sherry cherry.

From the moment I entered the service was warm, attentive, friendly and professional, it really hit the mark. The place was spotlessly clean and tidy with tables laid out well, lots of wall art and plants create a nice balance, giving a bistro feel while retaining the feeling you’re eating somewhere special.

The lunch offer menu allows you to pick one of seven options as your starter, and two dishes from the eight ’44 classicos’. The choices are varied and each one a temptation, you’ll spend a good few minutes chopping and changing, getting increasingly anxious to settle on something before the server returns.

I opted for Sobrasada tostada with Catalan Rosemary Honey, Jamon Iberico Croquetas and Sticky Sherry Chicken with Toasted Hazlenut, I asked for it to all come out together.

The tostada had a lovely crust, soft bread and perfectly toasted, and the Catalan rosemary honey had all the sticky sweetness you’d hope for.

Sobrasada Tostada, Catalan Rosemary Honey

The Jamon Iberico Croquteas had a lovely golden crispy breadcrumb coating, filled to bursting with hot béchamel sauce and ham. These are packed with rich, creamy indulgence, full of favour and like wrapping a blanket around you with every bite, so comforting.

The Sticky Sherry Chicken with toasted Hazlenut, just wow! Perfectly cooked chicken drenched in that sweet sticky sauce, each forkful of chicken being painted around the dish to mop up every last drop. There’s so much flavour in that sauce and it’s incredibly moorish. The hazlenut present in both crumb and whole provides texture and the hit of savoury to balance the sweetness.

There was no standout dish here, they were all excellent, an absolute pleasure to eat, and at £13 I don’t think I have had better for that price range. A wonderful showcase of sweet and savoury, and a real tribute to Spanish Tapas. But I wasn’t done, why end such a good dining experience, I added the Trufas – Dark and White Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles. At £5 for 4 small individual chocolates, well it was worth every penny, each chocolate was indulgent, rich, creamy and a lovely bitterness from that dark chocolate.

I can’t recommend the lunch deal at Bar 44 enough, at £13 it is an absolute bargain for the quality of cooking you receive. To the two ladies that sat down, looked at the menu and then asked if they did any sandwiches before leaving…you missed out. Despite being the first one in the restaurant when I sat down it was pretty much full by the time I left, this is great to see.

If you’re in the city centre on a Thursday or Friday lunchtime and fancy something different from your usual haunt, go to Bar 44, you won’t regret it.

The Travellers Rest, Cardiff/Caerphilly

Posted on September 23, 2022 by thecardiffmenu

Is it in Cardiff? Is it in Caerphilly? You’re never quite sure, perched at the top of Caerphilly mountain it’s within easy access for whichever side you ascend from. It’s picture perfect exterior, thatched roof, small doorways, stone floors and fireplaces certainly make it feel like somewhere you can escape the elements and find refuge.

If you’re a Cardiff or Caerphilly native then you’ve probably been here at least once in your life, I used to come quite regularly but a 7 year gap meant I was keen to try and reaffirm it had become the pub I wanted it to be, unfortunately it hadn’t. My last few new dining experiences haven’t quite hit the mark, and this didn’t change that.

The Travellers Rest is owned by the pub chain Vintage Inns, first impressions when walking in are very cosy, big fireplaces with tables right next to them, however being led further in and seated it’s not quite the same. The bench seating is heavily soiled and the upholstery on one of our chairs was ripped and worn down to the foam.

For me this is something Vintage Inns need to replace/refurb immediately, it doesn’t give you the best first impression when you’re about to part with some of your hard earned. The lights in this area have all had one bulb removed, whether that’s to dim the light or to save energy that’s understandable, but come on, don’t leave the flex hanging down out of the fittings, tidy it away, even if it’s to stop someone sticking their finger in it.

The menu here is fairly small for a ‘pub menu’, which is usually a good thing, consisting of 10 starters and 8 mains as well as a chef’s special and 2 steak options.

I ordered Crispy Camembert Bites with an Apricot and Ginger chutney as a starter, these did have a lovely crispy panko coating and the Camembert was rich and oozed out with the satisfactory flow you would expect. However, at £5.95 for 2 pieces I felt this was pretty expensive, I mean they have literally given you the minimum amount in order to turn bite in to a plural. I think 3 would have been a fair deal and would have extended the 40 seconds it too me to eat them to a full minute.

For mains we ordered Beef Rib with Miso Butter at £16.95 and Vegetable Penang Curry with the option of Chicken added at £15.95.

The Beef Rib came with dauphinoise potatoes, roasted carrots, broccoli and a grilled spring onion, the beef had a lovely crispy edge and flaked away from the rib nicely. The miso butter really adding richness and a saltiness to the dish that complimented the beef. The carrots and broccoli were cooked well with just a slight bite and the grilled spring onion adding a hint of sweetness that the dish needed. My only gripe was the dauphinoise potatoes are served hidden under the beef rib and resemble somewhat of a mess when discovered, saying that they tasted great.

The Penang Curry was a bit of a mixed bag, flavourful, a nice hint of heat and a lovely sweetness from the peppers and the red onion, however the addition of chicken consisted of slices of dry, overcooked chicken breast placed on top, it certainly hadn’t been cooked fresh and detracted from the dish.

The service here is good, it did feel like courses took a little longer to come out than you’d expect given how quiet it was but certainly not anything to query. Mains plates were left for a while after finishing and we did eventually get up and go to the bar to pay, thus missing out on being offered desserts. Minor quibbles.

The Travellers Rest hasn’t unfortunately made me feel like rushing back, the price point here is at the higher end for chain pub food and although it was decent, for me it wasn’t great. It’s all about opinion though right? I’m sure many would disagree, however it’s back for a stint with the independants for me.

Matsudai Ramen, Clare Rd, Cardiff.

Posted on August 5, 2022 by thecardiffmenu

It’s been exactly 2 months since my last full review, so when I was kindly invited to check out what is possibly Cardiff’s most eagerly anticipated independent opening of 2022, I thought Christmas had come early.

I’m not a complete newbie when it comes to Ramen, having dined at Bristol’s Tomo No Ramen a few times previously I was eager to see how Matsudai fared, I mean I have tried their heat at home kits, but this was kitchen to table from the guys in person.

I’ve followed Matsudai closely since James Chant first did a pop up at Blue Honey back in 2019, it’s instant popularity saw James establish a production kitchen to deliver heat at home kits nationally (vital in lockdown), and then further pop ups followed at Milkwood in Cardiff and in various locations in London. The fact James has no background in professional cooking is testament to how far he has come in such a short space of time. An unrelenting passion and drive for what he and his team are doing is key to where they are today. A lesson there for all of us

Opening their first bricks and mortar site was always the obvious and absolutely necessary next move for this unstoppable Ramen tidal wave. We the people demanded it and now we get the opportunity to pay that back.

Taking over the old Natwest bank in Clare Rd seems an ideal fit, away from the pressures a city centre premises brings, embedding itself as a prominent new addition on the bustling high street in the ever improving and diversifying Grangetown.

So, let’s see what ‘Wales first and only purveyors of proper, no-corners-cut Ramen’ was like.

Dining is casual here, the restaurant area is set up with wooden benches catering from tables for 2 all the way up to a long bench that multiple groups can sit at. The space is open and bright with some great Japanese pop art on one wall, hanging plants around the restaurant add that touch of colour and soften the edges.

The kitchen here is open and they have select seating around the counter that allows you a close up view of the chefs at work, this is a great spot if you’re solo or as a couple and you can make a request to sit here when booking.

The menu is a combination of small plates, Ramen and desserts or ‘Sweet Stuff’ as titled on the menu. We went with the Chicken karaage £8 as our small plate, we would have gone for the chicken scratchings as well but unfortunately these weren’t available. The chicken karaage is a firm favourite, extremely popular and when you order it you will know why, bite size fried chicken which is super hot and a Japanese curry mayo made in house, the recipe of which needs to be locked in the safe.

We ordered tantanmen and nikko shio as our Ramen both at £13, you have the option to add extra toppings if you so wish. The tantanmen was rich, packed with flavour, an explosion of colour and carried a nice heat. The noodles cooked perfectly with just a little bit of bite. A personal favourite of mine and a good one to go for I feel if you’re trying Ramen for the first time as it really showcases the flavours and textures of Ramen.

The nikko shio is a cleaner, less spicy dish that comes with a thinner noodle and is packed with Umami taste, equally delicious.

Sweet Stuff was had in the way of the hojicha creme brulee at £6 and the banana chocolate cake at £5. After the richness of Ramen a little bit of dessert is a welcome addition to the evening, well that’s what I tell myself anyway.

Described as a roasted green tea creme brulee this is not something you will find anywhere else and has a lovely delicate flavour and is super creamy, the crunch garnish on top adds texture and sweetness.

The banana chocolate cake has a hazelnut crumb and miso salted caramel, the salted caramel really makes this cake sing, enough salt that you go back for more without it over powering the dessert. The cake itself is moist and just the right sizing.

The service here is good, all staff working hard and finding their way, guests were greeted as they arrived and no one was left waiting. Definitely some ‘new opening’ nerves from our server but she was keen to do a good job and will find her groove as her confidence grows.

There is a great energy and vibe at Matsudai Ramen, you can feel the beginnings of something great here that has and will continue to gather a lot of attention. Ramen is still very niche but I urge you to get yourselves down to G-Town and find out for yourselves what the fuss is about. James, Dan and the whole Matsudai team have something special here and I won’t leave it too long before I return….if I can get a table!

The Alchemist – St Mary Street, Cardiff.

Posted on June 5, 2022 by thecardiffmenu

The Alchemist is the first real chain restaurant I have reviewed, probably better known amongst weekend revelers for it’s impressive cocktails which sometimes look more like a science experiment than a drink. They certainly know how to add theatre to their drinks, and offer a vast cocktail menu that runs a lot further than your normal bar.

Maybe it’s not somewhere you would automatically think of to go for a meal, however I had heard good things and was keen to see how it would fare against the more independent restaurants I have been going to.

From the moment we walked in I could see they took service seriously, no waiting for someone to acknowledge you and greeted with a friendly smile that always sets the right impression. The restaurant area (which is separate from the bar area) is a stylish mix of stained glass, wall art, ceiling decoration and booths and tables. Clean, polished cutlery and water glasses with a lit tea light complete the table, the amount of places I go to and you have a melted tealight astounds me, either replace it and light it or get rid of it.

Our server from the very start was outstanding, asking if we had been before, explaining both the food and cocktail menus, asking if we had any allergies, offering water for the table, she was hitting all the marks. Friendly, personable, well trained and a real sense she was passionate about the service she gave, the way it should be.

The menu itself has a good varied selection from burgers, wraps and sandwiches to steak, fish, smoking griddles and salads, you should be able to find something for everyone. The cocktail menu is like a book, each page representing a group of cocktails to suit your taste or how much theatre you want it to provide.

When in Rome as they say, we went for a Hipflask Colada at £14, Bacardi rum, Wray & Nephew, Koko Kanu rum, Bristol Syrup Coconut & Pineapple and a hipflask which you could keep! A Bubblygum from the low alcohol section at £5 and a Pornstar £11.25 Grey Goose Vodka, Passoa, Martini Ambrato, Pineapple, Passionfruit Caviar and Fizz.

All drinks were absolutley delicious and were brought over in a good time, The Bubblygum offering that bit of theatre that The Alchemist is famous for.

For starters we ordered The Pork Bon Bons £6.75, Crispy Pulled Pork with Siracha Mayo and the Salt & Pepper Bites £7.25 (Ve) Plant based, Sesame Oil, Spring Onion and Chilli. The Pork Bon Bons had a golden crispy coating with a nice amount of pulled pork inside, dressed with spring onions and an onion pickle, the Siracha mayo adding a nice touch of heat. These had a nice strong flavour, the bon bons hot in temparature, the garnish all fresh but the pork was perhaps a little dry.

The Salt & Pepper bites again had a nice crispy coating, nice and hot, fresh garnish and the plant based filling giving a good savoury flavour, I think I actually preferred these.

For mains we had Smoking BBQ Pork on a hot griddle – Slow cooked boneless pork rib, pork crackling, dirty slaw, pickles, american cheese melt, grilled peppers & onions and fries £16. Tender pork rib which was full of flavour and a bbq sauce which when poured over creates a cloud of smoke off the griddle, this is all served on a big whack of peppers and onions. The pork crackling was really crispy with a slight soft centre, the slaw and fries doing what they should to complete the meal, this was a hit.

French Dip Steak Sandwich – Beef fillet, cheese sauce, green peppers, burnt onions, American cheese, sweet mustard mayo, rocket with smoking rosemary and secret truffle dipping gravy £14.25. There was a lot of flavours going on with this dish but this didn’t stop the flavour of the steak coming through, it was meaty and melt in the mouth tender, the American cheese giving a nice strong flavour and the onions, peppers and mustard mayo combining well together. The smoking rosemary was actually lit with a blow torch on the table, this was just some theatre which I liked, we were here for this. The secret truffle dipping sauce was rich and velvety and I dipped my steak sandwich in there like a good ‘un.

No desserts on this occasion, I’m watching the calorie intake, however with options like Cotton Candy Baked Alaska and Yakitori Caramelised Pineapple this wasn’t easy.

I was pleasantly suprised at my visit to The Alchemist, the service here is fantastic and you can see that staff are well trained and motivated, that’s a big well done to management. You could argue that a lot of the theatre is gimmicky but I liked it, it’s why you come here, it’s different and it makes you smile which is never a bad thing. The ambience and vibe throughout is nice, the decor is great and the music appropriate and at a good volume. Food and drinks are brought out in a good time, you are never left wanting or looking for anything as the service already has it covered. The restaurant is ideal for dining with friends or with a partner, both occasions feel appropriate here, if you want good food, even better service and some of the most outrageous cocktails you’ve seen, you would be hard pressed to find somewhere better.

Ah yes, the toilets, you must use them, it’s like walking down a Victorian side street, or that you have inadvertently walked in to the London Dungeons. Dimly lit, gated archways, long corridors, it’s a relief to make it to the toilet in one piece.

SERVICE 10

FOOD 8

AMBIENCE 9

CLEANLINESS 10

OVERALL 9

Mamma Lina’s, Albany Road, Cardiff.

Posted on May 13, 2022 by thecardiffmenu

I hadn’t been to an Italian in what seemed like an age, a classic, reliable cuisine that perhaps we over look in this forever increasing culinary scene of newer, bigger, different, trendier Instagram friendly restaurants that are opening at a fast pace in Cardiff.

When it comes to Italian cuisine in Cardiff we are certainly spoilt for choice, with many top independent restaurants quietly delivering home cooked quality food on many a high street.

I had heard good things about Mamma Lina’s, highly rated on Google and Tripadvisor and recently awarded a Recommendation on Restaurant Guru. The Albany Road restaurant is the sister to the also very popular Rogerstone establishment.

We arrived at 7pm on a Wed evening and were greeted immediately with a warm smile and offered a choice of where to sit. The interior of the restaurant has a bright, quality feel, with comfy leather seats, clean lines and is spotlessly clean. Italian music with traditional liquors and wines on shelving retain the Mediterranean feel.

The restaurant was fairly busy for 7pm and more tables arrived over the next 90 mins, a good sign of it’s popularity on a mid week night. We were told what the soup of the day was, what veg would be served with main dishes, and any specials they had on that day, deep fried Arancini balls stuck in my mind. The service which was run only by the owners/managers was exemplary throughout, attentive, warm, friendly and full of Italian charm. They didn’t stop for a second, but delivered assured service and took the time to chat with ourselves without you feeling like they needed to run away.

I ordered a Ponte Miliano Trebbiano D’abruzzo white wine, I found this very easy to drink and accompanied my food perfectly and my partner a Gin and Elderflower tonic. They actually have quite a large selection of Gin, so if that’s your tipple you’ll do well here.

For starters we had Trancetti Di Merluzzo – Fresh Cod strips in a pistachio crust with garlic mayo £8 and Polipetti Alla Luciana – Baby Octopus slow cooked in Tomato sauce, garlic olives, capers and chilli on toasted bread £8.

My cod was cooked well and was incredibly flakey, the pistachio giving a good contrast in texture and balance of flavour. The garlic mayo was to be used sparingly as not to overpower the flavours too much, really enjoyed this.

The baby Octopus was also cooked well, everything marrying together and the bread was toasted perfectly.

Mains were Penne Spezzatino – Penne Pasta with thin slices of fillet steak, onions, mushroom and red wine and spicy tomato sauce, topped with parmesan (this is done in the kitchen) £15. Also Pollo Mamma Lina’s – Chicken breast stuffed with spinach and ricotta, in a brandy, creamy tomato and tarrogan sauce £16

I really enjoyed the Penne Spezzatino, it had that real rich depth of flavour I was hoping for, tender pieces of fillet steak, perfect amount of sauce and the good homely cooking you want it to be. I did add some black pepper, they have sachets on the table, and I’ll be honest I did miss the traditional large pepper grinder being offered, it’s a little bit of theatre that I think diners enjoy. None the less this dish exceeded my expectations. I had a side of garlic bread to go with this, it was just ciabatta cut in half, nothing particularly fancy but it was crisp and buttery and just the right amount of garlic, and that’s all you need isn’t it?

The Pollo Mamma Lina’s was good hearty portion, well cooked chicken, vegetables and lots and lots of that creamy tomato, brandy and tarragon sauce. A lighter more delicate flavour than my red wine and tomato sauce but everything cooked well, good seasoning and perfectly cooked vegetables.

Only I had room for dessert, they have a good choice on the menu and all very tempting when needing something sweet to cut through your main. I went for the Tiramisu, it’s was a toss up between that and the profiteroles but stuck with a favourite of mine.

This was one of the best Tiramisu’ I have had, cream and mascarpone that was light as a feather, nice hint of coffee and soft ladyfingers, I’m sure I had a whack of dark cherry in my final mouthful as well. The toasted nuts surrounding it were delicious, giving some texture and a smokiness, not too sure what the sauce was ( I should have asked) but this was sticky and sweet, bellissimo!

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Mamma Lina’s, it was the good hearty, rich food I was craving and more. The restaurant itself is beautifully presented, the service was a masterclass in blending professionalism with warm attentive friendliness. The whole place just made you feel relaxed as soon as you sat down, there was a nice vibe floating throughout the restaurant, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. From couples, to mixed groups to a table of ladies staying on to sample another Italian wine, everyone was just letting out a big sigh and relaxing.

Mamma Lina’s is somewhere I absolutely recommend, sometimes you just need to go back to good home cooking in a relaxed environment with warm personable service, and this place does that. I will definitely be back.

Service 10

Food 9

Ambience 9

Cleanliness 10

OVERALL 9

Mattancherry, Canton, Cardiff.

Posted on May 1, 2022 by thecardiffmenu

Like most people I love Indian food, and like most people I have my favorites that I tend to stay loyal to. The fear of it ‘not being as good’ often keeps us sticking to what we know, and as a self proclaimed foodie and blogger I definitely need to sample more offerings of the cuisine I love so much.

Mattancherry isn’t your run of the mill curry house however, it is a ‘fusion of culinary influences’ inspired by the waterside area of which the restaurant takes it’s name, a busy trading hub in it’s past, it’s still a unique area of Kochi today.

We navigated the particularly turbulent Cowbridge Rd East on Saturday evening and eagerly entered the restaurant, a warm welcome greeted us and we were sat down. There was only one other table of 2 in at the time (it was 7pm) and it did feel a little quiet, I really should start booking later table times. 8 more people arrived in the next hour and the extra chatter and hum provided a much more relaxed feel.

It’s a fairly simple restaurant interior and some of the tables seemed quite close together but it all fitted with the restaurant, nice wood top tables finished the rustic feel. Menus were handed out and we began to scan, the young lady serving us did return very quickly for our food order about 2 minutes later, we hadn’t ordered any drinks yet so just asked for a little more time and asked if we could order drinks. I went with a pint of Cobra which is fairly standard for me with Indian cuisine, I was pleased to say it was cold, crisp and tasted as it should.

To go with our drinks we ordered Poppadoms with chutneys, coming as shards rather than the traditional round shape, they were crispy and fresh and the chutneys tasty.

The menu itself I found very hard to read, the print size is extremely small and I found myself moving it back and forth to try and get focus, this may just be my eyes but I was definitely wearing my glasses and with a bit of squinting got there in the end.

They have a fantastic range of starters, which we should have taken advantage of (you can read more about these on The Plate Licked Clean blog) however we ordered the following;

Lamb Thali – Lamb with potato, dal, pappadom, pickle, raitha, rice and bread, all coming on a tray at a respectable £12.95. My partners lamb being a hit, tender and full of flavour, the rice cooked perfectly, potatoes crispy and hot and the dal being rich and fragrant.

They have some delicious sounding Kerala Specialty curries and these are in keeping with what the restaurant is about, so what did I do? I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala and Pilau rice. Did I drop the ball here? Pretty much, but there’s 2 reasons I went with this, first, I just love it and second, It’s kind of my yard stick when trying a new Indian restaurant, if you get this right you have me as a customer for life.

I am pleased to say the Chicken Tikka Masala was delicious, lovely creamy rich sauce, tender pieces of chicken and a nice subtle heat. No bland, overly sweet sauce here. The rice was also perfectly cooked and it was all piping hot.

I couldn’t just order this of course, I was unfamiliar with a Dosa but a pancake topped with chopped onions, green chilli and coriander appealed to me, so ordered this as to accompany the curry. When I say accompany, I didn’t realise it would dominate the entire table, there were plenty of laughs as the plate sized pancake I was expecting turned up.

Once the curries had arrived as well there was very limited space and I had a good 2 inches of overhang of my plate, some careful arm movements were very much needed.

The Onion Dosa was really nice, almost sweet in flavour, it was lovely to tear some off and dip in the accompanying sauces, so much lighter than a Naan which I always find fr too filling.

We decided to go for desserts, not something I think I have ever done when eating Indian. They have 2 options and we went for 1 of each – Gulab Jamun: Dough balls with ice cream and a cardamom syrup. Gajjar Ka Halwa described on the muenu as “light fudge like texture with grated carrots, whole milk, dried fruits and nuts”.

The dough balls were warm, fluffy on the inside with a crisp coating, they went perfectly with the ice cream and cardamom syrup. My only complaint being at £5.25 I think they could have stretched to a 3rd dough ball, it was a small dessert but delicious.

The food here is the real star of the show, it’s all super tasty and looks vibrant, now I know they do an amazing Chicken Tikka Masala I have a good reason to go back and try their specialities. The Ambience was nice and as said before was much more relaxed when the restaurant filled up a bit. The manager/owner was a great host, he provided great service, humour, and made us feel relaxed where initially we’d felt a little rushed. Even apologised for making me jump when dropping ice into the ice bucket next to my head, nothing is too much trouble here and you can see they really value their customers.

No toilet visit on this occasion, I was so full it seemed a trip too far. I would definitely recommend Mattancherry, the food is superb and the service is personable and attentive, not wooden. Cowbridge Rd East and Canton in general is compiling a host of great eateries and Mattancherry is very much a part of this.

SERVICE: 8

FOOD: 10

AMBIENCE: 8

CLEANLINESS: 8

OVERALL: 8

The Sorting Room at The Parkgate Hotel, Westgate St, Cardiff.

Posted on March 16, 2022 by thecardiffmenu

The Parkgate Hotel describes itself as “Cardiff’s finest new luxury hotel“, a part of the Celtic Collection which includes The Celtic Manor and Manor House. Located at the far end of Westgate Street opposite Brewdog, it adds some grandeur and presence to what if I’m honest has never been the nicest part of the city, for those of a certain age you only ever went there to get your concert ticket from the now gone Ticketline. I digress, the restaurant within the hotel is called The Sorting Room, set within the rooms of the old Post Office it definitely has a feel of it’s former days, the decor giving a very elegant and plush feel while keeping the feel of a bygone era.

I wanted my next review to be somewhere ‘upmarket’ so when I saw they have 25% off midweek dining until March 31st, I jumped at the chance to book myself a table.

The ‘upmarket’ feeling I was looking for was soon realised as I walked through the hotel doors, marveled at the huge chandelier and made a right turn towards the restaurant. We were greeted immediately at the entrance, referenced my booking and were then shown to the table where we were handed both food and drinks menus (we all know what we’re having at this point anyway right?).

As you would expect in a luxury hotel restaurant the drinks menu is extensive with a good range of wines, spirits, beer, cocktails and Champagne. Vodka and Whisky drinkers will be happy here, you’re certain to find a drink that will cater to your palette and your wallet. We opted for a Chilian Chardonnay and a Spanish sweet white wine, I wouldn’t ever pass myself off as a wine connoisseur but the Chardonnay was lovely and smooth and something I would look for again.

The food menu has a nice broad range, covering food types that should allow anyone to find something they like, the starters include Grilled Octopus, Monmouthshire Reared Pork Scotch Egg, Grilled Black Tiger Prawns and White Onion and Cider Soup to name a few. We decided to skip starters and head straight for mains followed by dessert, again they have a broad range that reaches the fussiest of eaters. Prices range from £17.50 to £42.00 for the Beef Wellington or the Beef Tomahawk, I went for the Braised Welsh Beef and Ale Pie at £18.50 and my partner the Moroccan Roasted Salmon Fillet at £19.50. The next part of the menu is where you add your potatoes (5 choices) and your vegetables (4 choices), I added Buttery Mashed Potato £3.00 and Thyme Roasted Carrots £3.50.

Our food took around 25 mins to arrive, that’s the golden zone for me, not too long and not so quick you feel it was made before you even sat down. I was immediately impressed by the portion sizes, it was a belter of a pie and the mashed potatoes and carrots were in plentiful supply on the side. The pie was aesthetically pleasing with a nice glaze, perfect colour and a lattice top. As I cut into the crisp pastry my enthusiasms just grew, perfect pastry, perfect thickness and a slow flow of velvety beef and ale spilling out. The beef was tender, full of flavour and the ale sauce it was in was a triumph, also it was piping hot, at this point I was nearly in tears, I will declare now it was the best pie I have ever had.

The buttery mashed potato was exactly that, smooth as you like, perfectly seasoned and the right amount to accompany the pie. The Thyme roasted carrots were full of flavour, had a lovely glaze and had just a minimal amount of firmness. Everyone takes their carrots differently, some preferring crunchy, I have always preferred mine soft and this hit the mark. The gravy that you can take great delight in pouring over your meal, picking the parts that deserve more than others was also deep in flavour, and a perfect texture.

Thyme Roasted Carrots and Buttery Mashed Potato

The Moroccan Roasted Salmon Fillet had a beautiful salty crispy skin, and was cooked perfectly, the spiced couscous delivered a different flavour of spice with each mouthful and partnered the Salmon well. The Thyme Roasted Carrots and Garlic Mushrooms were added as sides here, the mushrooms having just the right level of garlic not to over power the mushroom itself. The Coriander beurre blanc was rich and buttery and brought the dish together.

Only I had room for dessert (or at least I thought I did), again a varied selection starting at £6.50 for the Sticky Toffee Pudding and going up to £9.00 for the Paris-Brest…..which is what I ordered. Described as Salted Caramel, Welsh Chantilly cream, praline, crème anglaise and Gold leaf . My first impressions when it arrived were how big it was, my second was that I couldn’t see any Gold leaf, I was expecting some nestled on the top but even on close inspection I couldn’t make out a fleck of Gold.

Forget the Gold, this was a great dessert, beautiful choux pastry with the ice cold Chantilly cream, salted caramel and praline made for indulgence with every mouthful. Adding the warm crème anglaise gave it the sweetness it needed, like the custard to your apple pie. On another day I would have demolished this but not today, at £9 it’s not cheap but it’s a hefty dessert and dare I say it, you could share it.

As the plate shows, I enjoyed this meal, It’s one of those meals that you’ll remember for a while to come. The cookery, the flavours, the temperatures, textures, presentation, it was all there and I couldn’t fault it. The ambience of the restaurant was great, correct lighting levels, not too light or dark, ambient music at the right level and a good number of diners, some hotel guests and others taking up the midweek offer. The restaurant was far from full but for a Tuesday night and such a large number of seats it was respectable.

Service was very good, all servers smartly kitted out and clean, prompt with clearing of tables, removing unneeded cutlery and glassware and doing a check back. The only stumble being at the end when clearing my dessert the fork fell off the plate on to my jeans leaving me wiping cream off my leg with a napkin, it’s ok, it happens and she was apologetic. The first bill that came didn’t have the 25% taken off, a query from me was met with an “oh yes” and a new bill was brought. The total was £63.47 which included a 10% service charge, I felt this was good value for money for the quality of the food we had received in the surroundings we were in. Without the discount this would have been a fairly expensive meal out and something you would perhaps do for a special occasion, however they say you get what you pay for and that would certainly apply here. Overall I would highly recommend The Sorting Room, sometimes you just need to treat yourself and with the discount until the end of March there’s no better time. I just hope you have the same experience that I did.

Just to add, even if you don’t need to, visit the toilets, there is something satisfying about walking in to posh, immaculately clean toilets and these were just that.

Service – 9

Ambience – 10

Food – 10

Cleanliness – 10

Overall – 10

Vivo Amigo – Whitchurch Rd, Cardiff.

Posted on March 7, 2022 by thecardiffmenu

Whitchurch Road in Cardiff has been quietly building itself as a top culinary destination for locals and visitors alike, home to popular places like Brother Thai, Black Salt, The Brass Beetle and the long standing Mint and Mustard.

Vivo Amigo came to my attention through word of mouth, “It’s a combination of Indian and Mexican food” someone told me, that got my attention, and a quick Google search told me it was very highly rated on both Google and Tripadvisor, holding the number 2 spot on the latter (Tripadvisor will be mentioned again later). I made my booking online and headed down there excited at such high reviews, did I come away holding the same high regard? Not quite, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it, because I definitely did. I also think It’s important to point out my reviews are of the whole experience, from arriving to leaving, and not solely based on the food, dining out should leave you smiling based on a number of parts as a whole, well for me at least anyway. Formalities over, let’s begin..

As soon as you walk in you’re met with a bright, colourful interior which with the Mexican/Mariachi music suggests you’re in for a fun ride. Rather an awkward welcome where I said I had a booking for 6:30pm to then be asked if I had a reservation, confusion soon solved and I was sat down and perusing the menu immediately. It’s a fairly modest size restaurant and although fairly empty when I arrived it was full bar one table by 7pm, made up of families, students and couples.

There is a full bar here so the drinks menu is pretty extensive, as well as the usual wines, beers and spirits they have a good selection of cocktails available, Negroni, Tamarind Twist, Rusty Nail and a Margarita on the Rocks. I was driving so opted for their homemade Lemonade and my partner the homemade Lime aid, I’ll be honest it did kind of taste like lemon and soda water but it was refreshing and had a nice amount of sourness, same for the Lime aid, we enjoyed both.

Now let’s order some food! For starters we ordered Classic Nachos and Beef Madras Empanadas, filled with hot pulled beef madras and a smoked tomato dip, these only took 10 minutes to arrive from ordering. The Beef Madras Empanadas looked great and I immediately had food envy, I had gone for the nachos as it’s a staple Mexican dish and pretty hard to screw up so wanted to see how they fared against other restaurants.

The Nachos were a perfect starter size, not too big, not too small, the tortillas were warm and crisp and the toppings were fresh, cold, and in perfect amounts for the amount of tortilla chips. I was however hoping for a bit more of a punch, considering they were sprinkled with chilli seasoning, spiced salsa and tex mex cheese I couldn’t help but feel I should have added the beef madras or tandoori chicken as a topping just to give it the flavour I wanted, my fault. The Jalapenos were a welcome addition though and provided that much needed heat, just to add the toppings are only an extra £1, so definitely worth going for.

The Empanadas were packing all the flavour, and I had to refrain from leaning over and eating too much of these or risk a fork in the back of my hand. Crispy golden fried pastry, lovely rich pulled beef filling and a smoked tomato dip that provided the heat, controlled only by how far you wanted to dip your Empanada. Again, perfect portion size for a starter, which should always leave you wanting more and these certainly did. Another starter that looked good and came out on a a multiple V shaped tray was the DIY Tacos, 3 crunchy tacos with a choice of fillings, at £7.95 a bit more expensive but good value for money and could easily be shared, good luck splitting that 3rd Taco though.

There are 5 Mains categories, Burritos, Enchiladas, Frankie Rolls, Burgers and Curry, we opted for a Kerala Beef Fry Enchilada (£11.95) and a Chicken Tikka Frankie Roll (£9.95). The Frankie Roll is described as Tortilla stuffed with, marinated grilled peppers & onion, filling of choice, pickle vegetables and Cheese, drizzled with green sauce, this comes with seasoned fries and a spiced raita. The mains arrived 10 to 15 minutes after the starters were cleared.

My Enchilada came with Biryani rice, Dal Makhani and a rich tomato sauce, all topped with melted cheese, I added a side of home cooked spiced Patatas Bravas to add a bit of crunch….and because I was hungry.

My Enchilada had a lovely crisp tortilla, I was slightly worried it would go soggy surrounded by all the sauce but this wasn’t the case. The beef, pepper and rice filling was deep in flavour and all 3 fillings complimented each other while keeping the beef as the star of the show. The Dahl Makhani and tomato sauce were also rich in flavour and provided moisture to the dish, the tomato marrying perfectly with the beef. Overall I really enjoyed this dish.

The Patatas Bravas were as you would expect, crispy on the outside fluffy and hot on the inside and came with a spicy ranch dip, I enjoyed these but was finding them a little salty by the time I got to the end of the dish, I couldn’t have eaten many more.

The Chicken Tikka Frankie Roll was a great success, tender pieces of Chicken Tikka combined with peppers and onion along with seasoned fries made for a tasty and filling meal. Personally I felt this was a better value meal coming in at £9.95 all in, as opposed to the £11.95 for my Enchilada plus the £3.50 for the patatas bravas or £2 if I had added fries.

I was definitely craving something sweet at this point after so much savoury, and wasted no time in ordering some Bunuelos – mini doughnuts dusted with cinnamon sugar and served with chocolate sauce. Honestly, these put the biggest smile on my face, warm fresh doughnut balls with a crisp sugary coating and a rich chocolate sauce to dip them in, what’s not to love? I could have eaten a lot more of these so just as well I was only given 6. I appreciated the tiny piece of strawberry on the plate, as if some token feel good gesture that it wasn’t all calorific, I ate that to.

The bill came to £47 and some change and I was more than happy to pay this, I can see why Vivo Amigo is rated highly, but didn’t quite leave with the same exuberance as other diners have looking at the reviews previously. The only stumbling block for me was the service, before I go any further the servers were all lovely and polite and were all working hard, however I found it all very formal which was in contrast to the image and vibe of the restaurant. I didn’t want some over the top cheesy patter but something a little more personable. I like the server to make me feel at ease and for me to feel confident in them, I didn’t get that here. After the starters were cleared along with our cutlery, the cutlery didn’t get replaced and after the mains were delivered I had to ask for more cutlery, some of the dishes were just put on the table without anything being said and in the hope they had placed them in front of the person who had ordered it. One other minor point which I picked up on ( I was probably the only one who did or rather the only one bothered by it) was the great Mexican music stopped and remained off for about 30 minutes before being restarted. Once it did you could feel the atmosphere and buzz lift again, I personally think background music in this kind of restaurant is vital to it’s atmosphere.

Returning to Tripadvisor a language barrier between myself and the server led to laughing on both sides as despite me thinking she was asking me if I wanted 2 Budweiser after several repeats it turns out she was asking for a review on Tripadvsor! Well I haven’t posted on there but hopefully this will suffice.

Would I go again? Absolutely, and I would encourage you to do the same.

Service – 6

Ambience – 8

Food – 8

Cleanliness – 9

Overall – 8