Your Last Mouthful

Cardiff based food blog

Category Archives: Restaurant reviews

Miller And Carter Steakhouse- Surprisingly Good Steak

Leave a Comment Posted by on May 15, 2013

When it comes to eating out, a chain restaurant would be very unlikely to make my shortlist. I’m yet to find one I love but that doesn’t mean I won’t give them a chance so I was very grateful to be invited along to Miller and Carter Steakhouse in the grounds of the Cardiff Red Dragon Centre.

I have to admit, the location didn’t give me high hopes but once inside, I was pleasantly surprised. It was very busy for a Monday evening and we were promptly shown to our seats next to a lovely modern fire. The atmosphere was cosy with low lighting and candles on the tables. It had an obvious chain feel to it with staff in uniforms and their polished speeches ready, but it was nice and we felt relaxed.

Our drinks orders were taken straight away but we did have to wait a while for our food orders to be taken but it was extremely busy. The waitress who took our orders was very friendly and knowledgable. She was able to talk in detail to us about the different cuts of steak available and how they should be cooked. When I told her I usually like my steak rare but due to guidelines about eating rare meat when pregnant I had to have it well done, she politely suggested a different cut of meat to the one I had picked that was best served medium- well done. I was impressed, and I have to say she was definitely right.

Along with the steaks, there was a varied selection of alternatives available from fish dishes to burgers to pasta. For me it was all about the steak but it was very nice to see that they cater for everyone and the dishes looked very appealing.

To start, I ordered a Cherry Tomato, Mozzarella and Rocket Salad and Mr V had Black Pearl Scallops. Both were very well presented, and looked of a high quality. My salad was very nice. It was fresh and simple with a good flavour combination.

Mr V’s scallops were served on a bed of black pudding and pancetta with a balsamic glaze. The flavours worked beautifully together but the scallops were slightly over cooked. It could have been lovely if the scallops were cooked perfectly.

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For our mains, I went for a rump steak medium-well done with a peppercorn sauce. Mr V was going to have Barbecued ribs but they had run out (we were told this immediately and very apologetically) so he opted for a rare fillet steak with a Béarnaise sauce. The steaks arrived with fries, onion loaf and roasted cherry tomatoes. All steaks were also served with a lettuce wedge with a sauce of choice served as an accompaniment. I chose a bacon and honey mustard dressing and Mr V chose garlic and chive mayonnaise with Parmesan.

The lettuce arrived at our table about 10 minutes before the steaks which seemed a little odd. In fact I found the whole concept of an iceberg lettuce in a bowl with a meal slightly unusual but it did actually work quite well once the rest of the food arrived. It was nice to have something fresh and crisp with the meal.

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The steaks were very good. My rump was tender and juicy and cooked perfectly as was Mr V’s fillet. The chips were ok but I personally like to have chunky chips rather than fries with my steak but that is just a personal preference. The onion loaf was an interesting alternative to onion rings.

Fillet steak

Fillet steak

The only compliant I have was that the peppercorn sauce wasn’t very pleasant. It didn’t taste like any peppercorn sauce I have ever had before or would want to have again. It was thin and runny, not creamy like I’d expect.

Rump Steak

Rump Steak

Service was generally very good apart from when Mr V ordered another glass of wine when the mains arrived. The wine was not brought to us until after we had finished the mains and the plates had been cleared so we sent it back. That was disappointing and this is where I find some chains very lacking. Rather than having one waiter or waitress throughout the meal, each had a different role. Mr V ordered his wine from one person, when she eventually told the bar staff, a ticket was printed and put on a tray while another person made the drinks, another person then collected each tray and delivered the drinks. If any customers went to the bar for a drink, they were given preference over any waiting table orders.

Apart from this little blip we had a good night. The food was largely good as was the atmosphere. The selection of steaks were impressive and I would certainly recommend Miller and Carter to a steak lover. At just under £22 for an 8oz fillet steak it wasn’t cheap but the portions were large and the quality good.

As chains go, this is a good one and despite the location, if you’re into your steak, it shouldn’t be ignored.

My last mouthful was: The fillet steak

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A Refined Sunday Lunch At The Celtic Manor Resort

Leave a Comment Posted by on January 30, 2013

Venturing only slightly outside of Cardiff for a review, Mr V and I were invited to the prestigious Celtic Manor Resort in Newport to try the Sunday Lunch menu at Terry M Restaurant. When I was at University, travelling back to Cardiff after holidays, I always used to get excited to almost be back when I saw the Celtic Manor looming over the motorway in all it’s finery. Despite living in Cardiff for 12 years now, I’m afraid I have never paid it a visit until this January.

The approach to The Celtic Manor is quite grand with long uphill windy roads before reaching the entrance laced with cars that cost upwards of a years salary for me. I started to panic that I might be under-dressed but as soon as we entered the restaurant I felt more relaxed. We were immediately greeted, coats were taken and we were offered a seat in the waiting lounge area. The service was very full on but it didn’t feel at all over the top. Sometimes I am put off by staff being so attentive and I prefer to be left alone to enjoy my meal but throughout our visit, the service was just right and in keeping with the tone of the restaurant which I would describe as relaxed fine dining.

After some appetizers and a drink, we were shown to our table. There were four other parties dining which resulting in a good atmosphere and a comfortable level of chatter which was nicely muffled by the sound of some soft, relaxing music.

Whilst waiting for our starters we were brought small rolls still warm from the oven which were delicious. These were accompanied by some butter topped with rock salt which I really enjoyed. To start, we both wanted the same thing from the menu as usual and on this occasion Mr V won the prize; The Salmon Mi-cult, salted cucumber and orange gel. It really was an excellent quality piece of salmon and a good size. The texture was soft, smooth and delicate. Melt in your mouth is a cliché but it really did. However I didn’t feel that the orange gel added much. It was a nice flavour but we were expecting something a little more exciting given the description.

salmon

My starter was in fact the one we both prefered in the end. The salad of warm baby beetroots, Suffolk ewe’s milk cheese with apple and horseradish. The different varieties of beetroot were very tasty and added interesting textures which were a lovely contrast with the soft creamy ewes cheese. It also looked very appetising as did all the dishes we saw appearing from the kitchen.

beetroot salad

For our mains, Mr V opted for the traditional Cefn Mawr Farm beef Sunday dinner as it was the Sunday lunch menu we were reviewing. The beef was served medium rare which was perfect and was carved at the table which was a nice touch. The beef was excellent and the accompaniments were also nice. It was a very good Sunday Roast but we felt that it was missing the wow factor. Mr V also had a slight niggle with the gravy because it was poured onto the plate by the waiter at the table but he would have prefered a small gravy boat so that he could decide the amount and where it went. I have to agree.

Beef

I chose the Free range pork fillet, fondant potato, salted cabbage and apple which was the star of the show. The pork was fantastic. It was cooked perfectly with crispy fat around the outside of the medallions. The dish was decorated with little balls of apple which seemed to pop in my mouth. I very much enjoyed this course and although we would happily eat both dishes again, the pork was our favourite.

Pork

Moving onto dessert, I chose the Snowball parfait, citrus salad and candied grapefruit and Mr V chose the chocolate fondant with tonka bean ice cream. The parfait was lovely. It tasted exactly like a snowball with a good hit of Advocaat. It went very well with the citrus flavours and the candied grapefruit added some bite to the dish.

Parfait

Mr V’s fondant looked the part. Chocolate oozed out as the spoon made contact and the flavours were very good but it was ever so slightly undercooked. It still hit the mark though and no plates were left uncleared.

Fondant

To finish a satisfying meal we were served coffee and homemade petit fours.

coffee

Overall, we had a very nice afternoon. It was a relaxing atmosphere whilst still being quite formal which worked well. Staff were attentive and still human, not too serious like they can be in a fine dining restaurant. I think the prices were very reasonable too at £22.50 for 2 course and £28.50 for three. I appreciate that this isn’t cheap and may not be what everyone would be willing to pay for a Sunday lunch but I think the quality and overall experience matched the price.

My last mouthful was: The Free Range Pork Fillet

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Overall rating- spoon-green80

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Happy Birthday Purple Poppadom! Celebrating With A New Menu

Leave a Comment Posted by on January 1, 2013

Nothing excites me like a good restaurant that changes it’s menu regularly and when it is the Purple Poppadom, there are extra squeals of delight. In honour of Purple Poppadom’s first birthday and to celebrate five successful years for Chef Anand George in Cardiff, the 501 game Taster Menu has been launched.

I love this time of year despite the cold because I just love game and all the dining possibilities it brings so I was very pleased to see that the Purple Poppadom were incorporating it into a menu. I gave rave reviews to their previous taster menus so I went along with high expectations.

Purple Poppadom lovers you’ll be pleased to know that this menu didn’t disappoint. The tasters included, rabbit, pheasant, goat, wild boar as well as a fish course and a selection of desserts. As usual the service was impeccable and the place was jammed packed with diners, even though it was a Wednesday night.

We started the evening off with the Lapin a Deux. A beautifully presented rabbit starter consisting of minced rabbit cooked in the tandoor and cubes of rabbit in a polti bag. The minced rabbit was delicately spiced so that the flavours didn’t overpower the meat but my favourite was the polti bag which is a flaky pastry parcel filled with cubes of tender spicy rabbit. I always enjoy the Purple Poppadom starters and this was no exception. As usual my photos do not do the food justice.

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The Halibut Vert fish course was next and as usual was perfectly cooked. The tender Halibut marinated in coriander and mint was so tender and juicy and the spiced cake of halibut was one of the nicest fish cakes I have ever had.

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I wouldn’t usually bore you with details of a pallet cleanser but the Granny Smith Apple and Chilli Sorbet was so good I would have been happy with it as dessert. If I could buy some to take home and put in the freezer I would.

Moving onto the middle course, the Ffesant Choux Fleur. My favourite course and my favourite French word for a vegetable all rolled into one! This course featured some unusual flavour combinations but they worked very well. The coriander and garlic crusted pheasant was served with cauliflower puree and pickled beetroot. Presented in a deep dish, once cut into, the pheasant was emersed in the puree. The combination of the warm cauliflower and cold beetroot made for some interesting textures and complimented the meat.

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The main course which was preceded by a passion fruit and ginger sorbet, consisted of two curries, a Thoran, steamed rice and two Indian breads. The first curry, the Chevre Royal was my favourite. The goat was unbelievably tender. Purple Poppadom have great skill when it comes to cooking meat. It is always executed perfectly and on this occasion, the goat was melt in the mouth good which I don’t always find with goat.

The Sanglier de Kerala was also lovely and went very well with the Thoran which is also a South Indian dish. The meat again was very tender (Wild Boar on this occasion) and the mild sweet flavours matched those of the delicious Thoran and the breads.

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Sad to bring the evening to a close but feeling full, we embarked on a trio of dessert. For me this was the weakest course but by no means poor. We had the signature chocolate samosa with caramelised banana which I always enjoy, a Christmas pudding cheesecake and an orange, coconut and Penedryn whiskey cake. Everything was nice but I don’t think it lived up to the desserts on the previous two taster menus. In fact, the Rose Hip Brulee on the original Taster Menu was one of the best desserts I have ever tasted so to live up to that was a tall order.

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I can honestly say that the Purple Poppadom is one of my all time favourite restaurants. When I recommend it to people they often start talking about other Indian restaurants they enjoy but I cannot stress enough that this is not your typical Indian restaurant and should not be compared as such. It is in a far superior league and the menu is so far removed from a curry house. Anand George calls his food Nouvelle Indian Cuisine and I think this is a good description. It is fresh, original, high quality food using Indian flavours.

If you haven’t visited yet, you NEED to! You won’t be disappointed. The Taster menu is £45 per person which may sound expensive but it is definitely worth the price and is the best way to experience what is on offer. The A La Carte is also fantastic though.

My Last Mouthful was: The Ffesant Choux Fleur

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Overall rating- spoon-green80

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The Kings Arms- My Kind Of Pub!

Leave a Comment Posted by on December 19, 2012

Pulling up outside The Kings Arms in Pentyrch, I remembered how much I loved it the last time I went. It was for a summer BBQ and I fell in love with this beautiful country pub then. With its welcoming exterior, low doors that make me feel like I need to duck even though I’m only 5 foot 3 and a roaring fire, this grade II listed building is my idea of pub heaven. It has that country pub vibe and on a cold December night, I couldn’t think of anywhere I’d rather be.

Inside is so cosy. The word rustic comes to mind but it doesn’t really do it justice because everyone is doing ‘rustic’ these days. The difference is this really IS rustic. It’s not pretend, it’s not pretentious, it’s cosy country pub with rustic charm.

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That fact that it’s Christmas and there were white lights adorning the dining room only added to the homely feel. The stone walls and large wooden beams combined with the twinkling lights and faint Christmas music made me feel quite festive. Although I love to be at home at Christmas with a home cooked meal, if I was going to go out for dinner, it would be here.

We had been invited to sample the Christmas menu. After a few Christmas meals already, I was very pleased to see that this menu had some non turkey options. For starters we were a bit torn but we settled for the carpaccio of Welsh beef fillet with watercress and pickled girolle mushrooms and the Arancini which in this case was deep-fried Hafod cheese and parsley risotto balls served with red chilli creme fraiche.

The Arancini was very nice. The flavours were subtle but they were well cooked and nicely presented. The red chilli creme fraiche was delicious and worked well to moisten the dish.

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The carpaccio came as a generous portion, seasoned with sea salt which gave it a nice texture. The addition of the pickled mushroom wasn’t quite to my taste because the dish also come with a balsamic dressing which made it all a little too acidic. It was still very nice though and we happily polished off the plate.

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Moving onto the mains, we knew exactly which two dishes we wanted, the question was, who had what. In the end, as it was a cold wet night and I needed warming up, I went for the roasted silverside of Breconshire beef with yorkshire pudding and horseradish sauce and Mr V had the pan-fried salmon with cockles and laverbread butter, wilted baby gem and truffle mash.

I was very pleased with my choice. My beef was tender, the roast potatoes were crispy and the yorkshire pudding homemade.

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The dish was served with some delightful parsnip crisps and seasonal vegetables. After tasting this, I will most certainly be going back for a Sunday roast.

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Mr V’s salmon was again delicious. The salmon was moist and well seasoned and a perfect partner to the salty and buttery cockles. The mash had a powerful taste of truffle which we both really enjoyed and it worked well with the other flavours of the dish. The wilted gem lettuce was an unusual but welcome addition.

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Full from the very generous portions, we had a break before dessert. Stuck between two, we had both and shared. We chose a lemon and lime tartlet with clotted cream and chocolate coulis and a chestnut and whisky cheesecake with crystallised ginger and vanilla syrup.

The flavours in the cheesecake were very subtle and although beautifully presented with mint and berry’s I think it needed something more.

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The tart however was packed with flavour. I loved the bitterness of the lemon and lime combined with the chocolate and the cream. The filling was a little runny but it still tasted great.

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The lovely setting, faultless service and great homely food make The Kings Arms a hit with me. The Christmas menu was £22 for three courses and the evening menu looked just as good. As it’s owned by Otley Brewing Company, it meant that we could also have Otley beer with our meal which pleased Mr V who rounded his meal off with a pint of O Ho HO.

My Last Mouthful was: The truffle mash

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Overall rating- spoon-green80

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A Mexican Experience With Oscars Wednesdays

Leave a Comment Posted by on November 20, 2012

After a few invitations to Oscars of Cardiff that I was unable to make, I was very pleased to finally make it to one of Oscar’s Wednesdays. Back by popular demand, every Wednesday through October and November, Oscar’s are offering a special ‘themed’ menu in addition to the Evening Menu. Accompanied by Hannah, writer of Love To Dine Blog, I attended Tacos and Twister Night for a Mexican themed meal.

When I arrived, Hannah was already there and I had to fight through a packed restaurant to meet her. I couldn’t believe how busy it was for a Wednesday night! I’m not sure whether it was because it was Halloween so people were out to avoid the trick or treaters or whether this was standard for an Oscars Wednesday. If it was, they have a winning formula. It made for a lively atmosphere and even though it seemed full to capacity, staff were still efficient and friendly. The decor was very much my thing. Lots of colours, big lights and seating at different levels. It was quite quirky but also cosy.

The Mexican menu was £12 for 2 courses and a shot of tequila or something else if you prefered. You could also take part in the Chilli Chicken Challenge for an extra £5. We didn’t take the challenge although I wish I had really. However, the two courses were plenty and we also had a few side dishes which we really didn’t need, the greed set in!

We started with flat breads and dip which were very nice. The flat breads were cut into manageable pieces and covered in guacamole and sour cream.

Flatbreads to start

To follow we had a choice of taco. I went for Piri Piri White Fish and Hannah had Beef Brisket. The fish was cooked beautifully. Tender, juicy with a hint of spice.  However, I’m not sure it was very ‘Mexican’. It was served with the same sour cream and guacamole that came with the starter and the taco was actually a flour tortilla. It was still tasty though and while it wasn’t traditionally Mexican, it was still top quality food.

Piri Piri Fish

Dinner with another food blogger meant there was no way we were leaving without dessert! I chose the Lemon Tart with Blackberry Ice Cream. It was the perfect way to finish the meal. The tart was fresh and light and the ice cream was delicious. Hannah had the Oscars Chocolate Macaroon Mess which also looked amazing, although I’m glad I went for the lighter option.

Lemon tart for dessert

I was impressed by Oscars and would love to go back and try their Evening Menu. I think Oscars Wednesdays are an excellent idea. A theme makes for a fun dining experience and is just that little bit different. This one was a very fair price too at just £12 (minus the dessert). The fact that you can still go for the Evening Menu means that everyone in a party should be happy even if they don’t fancy the theme for the evening.

My Last Mouthful was: The Lemon Tart with Blackberry Ice Cream

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The Pilot- The Perfect Local Pub

Leave a Comment Posted by on November 6, 2012

With The New Conway and Woods already established and popular with Cardiff diners, Knife and Fork Food’s new venture, The Pilot has shown itself to be a welcome addition.

Located in a residential area of Penarth with great views of the harbour, it is the local pub I wish I had. Although I like a rustic theme, I am getting a bit bored with the amount of new pubs and restaurants that are attempting it. The Pilot is not rustic and is not pretending to be. It’s modern, clean-cut and homely with a vintage feel.

The main dining area has tables arranged in straight lines with comfy leather sofas in the centre of the room. Combined with mismatched picture frames, vintage style lamps and a cosy wood burner, it has the feel of being in someone’s living room, albeit a full living room.

The menus are displayed on boards and you order at the bar so it is all very informal and definitely more public house than restaurant. When we were there the menu was substantial and it changes with the season. They use local suppliers, forage and even use produce from some of their staff’s allotment.

We found a table for two on a surprisingly busy Monday night. I love the layout of the place but the tables were awfully close together. Mr V and I are relatively little but had we been any bigger, it would have been a bit of a squeeze to get to our seats without getting a little too cosy with our neighbouring diners. This was pretty trivial though in the grand scheme of things.

To start, Mr V ordered Confit of Duck Ragout with white bean puree and I had Smoked Haddock with Bacon Croquettes. Our orders arrived very quickly, no longer than a 5 minute wait which was almost a bit too quick. My croquettes were crispy on the outside and soft and creamy inside as I’d expect and were a bargain at just £4.50. Ben’s rague was nicely presented with nice textures and colours and decorated with micro cress.

Again there was a very short wait and our mains arrived in 10 minutes. I chose Lamb Rump with Roasted Carrots, Mash and Peas with a Mint Dressing. The lamb was well cooked, medium as described and the vegetables were crisp. The mint dressing was actually a mint gravy but that suited me. The weather had just started to get chilly and I had the winter blues so it was the perfect homely pick me up.

Mr V chose the Grey Mullet with Chorizo and Tomato Ragout. The fish was a good size and well cooked. The ragout wasn’t outstanding, just tomato and roast potatoes but it was exactly as described.

Usually it isn’t an issue if food takes too long but the Pilot was the opposite. If anything the food came too quickly. We had finished our first two courses in half an hour which made the evening go far to quickly but this was my only complaint and I appreciate this would not be a negative for everyone.

For dessert we went back to the chalk boards. There was a very good selection and while dessert is my least favourite course, I was excited by the prospect. I chose the Banana Parfait with Caramelised Peanuts and  Mr V had the Chocolate Torte with Salted Caramel and Chantelle cream. We shared in the end because we both got jealous of each other’s choice.

The Torte was lovely. Rich and bitter and was complimented beautifully by the salted caramel which was artistically arranged in droplets on the plate. The only downside is that I would have liked more salted caramel.

The banana parfait was good although the peanuts were more sticky clusters than caramelised but nice all the same.

I really enjoyed my evening at the Pilot. It was nice to eat good, honest pub food done well and that’s exactly what it is. It isn’t pretending to be a bistro, the food is simple and reflective of a pub menu. On our visit the prices were competitive at £4.50-£5.50 for starters and £9- £13.50 for mains which puts it in the same price bracket as a far less superior establishment. The menu was fresh and original but still included pub food favourites like bangers and mash and fish and chips.

My Last Mouthful was: Lamb Rump with Roasted Carrots, Mash and Peas with a Mint Dressing

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Purple Poppadom- Still a Firm Favourite

Leave a Comment Posted by on August 10, 2012

If you’ve read my previous review or follow me on Twitter you will probably be aware of my love for Purple Poppadom. I think chef Anand George is a genius with his interpretation of Indian Nouvelle cuisine, turning Indian food into fine dining with a touch of fusion.

You can imagine then, that I was more than happy to sample the new Deep Blue Taster Menu when I was invited recently. Purple Poppadom’s menus change with the season and Deep Blue is their summer offering featuring a range of fantastic fish dishes.

The menu is extensive and I wanted to try everything so I love the idea of a Taster Menu. With this menu, we had the option to pair it with beer which was a great idea. A different beer came with each course and they really did compliment the food perfectly.

Our first course was a trio of starters; Salmon Mel (Salmon marinated with mustard, honey and cooked in tandoor), Golden Green (Cubes of mango and avocado with lamb lettuce and baby spinach with a passion fruit and chilli dressing) and Tune Pillow (Delicately spiced pattice of tuna, encased in crispy breadcrumbs).

The Salmon was amazing! It was beautifully cooked in a sweet sauce and worked very well with the other two starters on the plate. The Tuna Pillow was crunchy on the outside and sot on the inside, housing some delicate flavours. The sweet mango salad was also excellent. All of this was accompanied by Brooklyn Lager from the USA.

Moving onto the middle course, we were presented with Spirit Of The Sea (Swordfish loin marinated with coriander, mint and spices, grilled in tandoor, accompanied by a South Indian style risotto and a chilli garlic oil) paired with a Beer Lao bringing back memories of my travels through Laos.

This was a lovely dish. The swordfish was meaty but still beautifully tender, soft and moist. The coriander flavours were wonderful and worked well with the subtle tasting risotto which was beautifully soft and creamy with a welcome crunch of onion. This was my favourite course.


After a deliciously refreshing Green Apple and Chilli Sorbet, we were presented with Petits Filets and Kalamari (Pan fried Kerala style marinated sardine fillets on salad leaves, tomato and mustard dressing served with golden crispy battered squid) paired with a Cwrw Celt Welsh beer.

This was a light refreshing dish with a perfectly cooked sardine with a nice crispy skin. For me, this was the weakest dish but still perfectly lovely. The salad and the dressing had more of a mediterranean flavour than an Indian feel to me. However, the Calamari was cooked perfectly. Often like a rubber band, this was nothing of the sort. Tender, and beautiful, cooked in the most delicious batter! I’m not sure it really belonged with the sardine dish though.

For the main, we had The Halibut Islands (Tender white halibut supreme) which came with a choice of sauce. We chose Alleppey Sauce, a blend of raw mango and ginger. Ginger and Mango are favourites of mine so I knew this was going to be good. Again, the fish was cooked to perfection and the meaty fish was complimented by the sharp mango and heat from the ginger. It was delicious and the colours were beautiful.

The main was accompanied by a fresh and crunchy Stir Fry Vert (Asparagus, baby corn, mangetout, french beans, cashew nut and coconut tempered with mustard and curry leaves) and basmati rice. The beer for this course was an Erdinger Weiss which really brought out the fruity flavours of the curry. My only niggle here is that it would have been nice to have some naan bread with this course as there was plenty of sauce.

Finally, we were presented with a very eye-catching selection of desserts. Tandoori Pineapple, chef’s signature dish; a Chocolate Filled Poppadom on a Caramalised Banana and a Mango Brulee. The previous menu included a Rose Brulee which was one of my all time favourite desserts so I was interested to try the Mango version. It was delicious and definitely the stand out dessert for me but nothing is going to touch the rose one in my opinion.

The Chocolate Poppadom was very nice and the flavours worked well with the banana and the Tandoori Pineapple had a very unusual flavour but I’m not sure it was really for me. Overall though, I was impressed with dessert, they are always very innovative.

The thing that always strikes me with food at the Purple Poppadom is the outstanding presentation. Everything is beautifully designed and every plate looks the same. Each little Taster was exactly the same size and shape on both mine and Mr V’s plates throughout the night and everything was cooked to perfection.

The Taste Menu is £39.95 per person or £47.95 with beer. For the quality and volume of food included, I think this is a fair price and in my opinion, the Taster menu is definitely worth doing because you get to try so much. However, if the Taster Menu’s not for you, there are plenty of other options and they even do Take Away.

Aside from the food, the experience is heightened by the staff  who are clearly very proud of the success they are having. Manager Ramon is a fabulous host and makes everyone feel very welcome. We dined on a Friday night at 7pm and it was already full to bursting. I can understand why and if you haven’t been yet, why the hell not????

My Last Mouthful was: Spirit of the Sea

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Grill and Shake- A potential family favourite

Leave a Comment Posted by on July 24, 2012

A few weeks ago, I was invited along to The Red Dragon Centre’s newest restaurant Grill and Shake. With Mr V otherwise engaged, I took along Mrs J for a huge meal which we were told by friendly owner Mab, was free from calories just for that night. If only that were true!

Grill and Shake has been open for 6 months and is now established and in a position they are happy with. The first thing that I thought as I entered was how great this would be if I had kids. The colourful decor, fun lighting and cartoon character branding would really appeal to children and this was apparent as most of the people dining that evening were families.

We took a seat and ordered milkshakes while we browsed the extensive menu. Judging by the size of the portions, we decided to share a starter. Besides, the milkshake was a meal in itself! The restaurant was described as All American Tex Mex but with an Arabic twist. The thinking behind this was based on the restaurants ‘character’, a sheikh who travels to America to experience the culture and to meet his idol, John Wayne.

It was hard to choose what to have as the menu included cuisine from all over the world as far as I could see, with dishes you would consider to be American, as well as dishes with Middle Eastern flavours, oriental dishes and Moroccan mains. Although there was a lot of choice and something for everyone, I was a bit confused by the menu, the message did seem a bit muddled.

As the milkshake was so filling we decided to share a starter and went for the Shrimp Quesadilla. It was a good size and very tasty.

For our mains, we decided to pick one of the burgers as Mab spoke so highly of them and went for The Works (A beef burger topped with turkey, bacon and sautéed mushrooms). The other main we chose was the BBQ Beef Ribs and Chicken.
The burger was huge with a big portion of chips and it also came with a nice side salad as did the other main and the starter. Everything was very fresh apart from the disappointing bap.


The ribs and chicken was a great dish. It was huge and I have never had ribs that huge! The chef told us all the meat is Halal and cooked with the fat on to enhance the flavour. The ribs were fatty, tender and meaty. Lovely! The chicken was also very well cooked and I especially enjoyed the home-made onion rings.

Absolutely stuffed, we were persuaded to have a dessert and chose to share a sticky toffee pudding. It was very good indeed! Soft moist cake, swimming in gorgeous toffee sauce. All the desserts are home-made but with portions as big as these, I do wonder how many people make it to dessert.

As I read the menu, I came across so many things that kids would love and it is clearly a child friendly restaurant. However, the children’s menu was slightly disappointing. It certainly appeared to be healthy but it was rather uninspiring and if Mum and Dad were chopping through ribs and hot dogs, I think there might be a few tantrums from a child served up fish pie or cottage pie. Again this gave mixed messages about the theme of the restaurant as neither of these are particularly American dishes.
Prices are very reasonable, especially when you take into account of the size of the portions. I think Grill and Shake has the potential to be a very popular family restaurant but I just think it needs to sort out it’s message slightly. Is it an All American restaurant? A fast food restaurant? A restaurant selling cuisine from all over the world? It isn’t really clear.

I think that Grill and Shake will really appeal to people who like to dine in chains as although it isn’t yet a chain, the owners would like it to be and have great plans.  It certainly has that chain feeling about it but it also serves very good food and once it tweaks its message, I think it could become a successful chain restaurant.

My Last Mouthful was: The BBQ ribs

Service-

Atmosphere and Decor-

Quality of food-

Diversity of menu- (too diverse)

Value for money-

Overall Rating-

For more reviews please see www.yourlastmouthful.com

General, Green spoon, Restaurant reviews , , , ,

Mint and Mustard- The new Chakara Menu!

Leave a Comment Posted by on July 16, 2012

There are plenty of Indian Restaurants in Cardiff but few who could really come out on top in the Cardiff restaurant scene. Mint and Mustard is one of the few that I consider to be in the running.

I have eaten in the Mint and Mustard before but I have to admit, not since chef Anand George left to set up the Purple Poppadom. I was worried that it wouldn’t be the same and I didn’t want to be disappointed. After being invited to sample the new Chakara Fish menu, I am confident that Mint and Mustard still has plenty to offer.

With lots of Indian restaurants on Whitchurch Road, Mint and Mustard has a fair bit of competition but it has done well to set itself apart as a more ‘upmarket’ Indian restaurant and not your average curry house and is usually full and lively.

We were seated in the back of the restaurant with a party of food bloggers and other food lovers. As we chatted and munched on poppadoms, we were talked through the menu by the very proud Executive Chef Pramod Nair who has racked up quite a career in India including cooking for the queen when she visited Kerala. He designed the new menu which is to be served in Cardiff and a Taunton restaurant which has recently opened.

There is a Chakara Tasting menu available for £37.50 per person as well as an A la carte. We were treated to a tasting menu but it wasn’t the one available to customers. It was a selection of the chef’s best dishes.

We kicked off with a selection of starters. Each one was presented beautifully although as a tasting menu I’m not sure that they really worked together. We dived into scallops cooked in a saffron and coconut sauce, a spicy salmon mousse, a soft shelled crab and a saucy king prawn. The soft shelled crab was delicious and I could have happily eaten several of these. The prawn had some fantastic flavours but it was a little bit messy and I really enjoyed the mousse. However, the scallops were a little over cooked for my liking.

After a successful (and large) starter, we moved onto a King Fish Steak Vattichathu which was a served with shallots and tomato on a potato cake. The fish was lovely, I really like meaty fish and it worked well with the flavoursome sauce as it wasn’t a delicate fish and the potoato cake added an extra and welcome texture. Unfortunately I don’t have a picture of this dish as I got over excited and forgot to take one.

Following this, was another selection of dishes that would usually be served as mains. The Queen’s Silver Pomfret was named so as this was the dish Pramod cooked for the queen. This came with a dressed crab in a masala sauce, fish cooked in a banana leaf and a serving of seafood rice. The Pomfret was a soft delicately flavoured fish. It didn’t need any bells and whistles because it was well cooked and beautifully flavoured. I really enjoyed the fish in the banana leaf which was lovely and tender but I wasn’t so impressed with the crab. I think a meat as delicate as crab was over powered by the masala sauce.

Quite full at this point, we moved onto yet another course. Each table was served a Konju Mango Curry (tiger prawns cooked in fennel, coconut and mango) and a Mixed Seafood Pachadi (cod, monkfish, shrimps, squid and mussels cooked in a pineapple, butternut squash and coconut sauce).

On holiday in India, I really enjoyed the fruity curries but I had never experienced anything quite like the pineapple one we tried here. Milky pineapple and fish might sound like a bizarre combination but believe it or not, it does work! I think it would be a great flavour for a chicken curry too. However, for me, the mango curry was the best. Mango is a favourite of mine and this was fabulous!

Stuffed beyond belief, it was time for dessert. After such a huge meal, we were relieved that the dessert was a light ice cream and for me a dish to remember. We were treated to a trio of jack fruit, rose and a mint and mustard ice cream. Jack fruit is one of my favourite fruits and reminds me of times in Asia so I loved this one. It had an unusual texture and the jack fruit flavours came through clearly (although a few of my fellow diners didn’t agree). The rose ice cream was similarly lovely and then there was the mint and mustard…

I can see what Pramod was trying to do with the Mint and Mustard ice cream and I think it was a novel idea but it wasn’t well received by everyone. In fact, I was the only person on my table to finish it. Even when I had eaten it all, I wasn’t sure whether I liked it or whether I had eaten it out of morbid fascination. The initial taste was like a Murray Mint but the aftertaste was of strong mustard and I’m not sure that the flavours really worked together. Pramod clearly enjoys experimenting though and I’m sure he will carry on with this to try and perfect it as it is still a work in progress.

Overall, I enjoyed the new Chakara menu. I think it has the potential to be really great. There are a few tweaks that could be made to improve it and I’m sure that with time, they will be made.

As we were invited along to this tasting and it we didn’t experience the menu as a paying diner would do or have the taster menu on offer to customers, it isn’t easy to comment on price and service. Therefore,  I’m not going to give my usual spoon ratings but I would love to visit again on a normal night and chose from the a La Carte menu and I have a sneaky suspicion this would achieve a green spoon!

Events, General, Green spoon, Restaurant reviews , , ,

Cardamom Indian Restaurant- Once upon-a-time there was a fine dining restaurant…

1 Comment Posted by on July 2, 2012

I seem to have been invited to a string of Indian restaurants over the past few weeks of which I will be reviewing in turn. The first in line is Cardamom Indian Restaurant in Canton’s Victoria Park.

Having never been to Cardamom before, I was intrigued after reading the description on their website:

‘…the award-winning Indian restaurant, in the heart of Cardiff, continues to be instrumental in changing perceptions of the subcontinent’s cuisine. With its amazing service and prices there is no better that the Cardamom when it comes to Indian cuisine in Cardiff. The restaurant offers a sophisticated fine dining experience with effortlessly charming staff, discrete service and tantalising food that few can compete with.’

Reading this I got very excited. How had I overlooked this one? To top things off, it is named after one of my all-time favourite ingredients.

We visited Cardamom on a Wednesday evening which is a relatively quiet night in even the best restaurants. However, we were pleased to see that we would not be dining alone as there were four other parties already seated when we arrived. Staff were very welcoming and efficient in showing us to our seats. Before we had even looked at the menu our drinks orders were placed.

Taking in our surroundings, it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. The decor was a bit tired with veneer peeling off the tables and some faint curry stains. The painted walls looked as though they could have used a touch up but there were echoes of superior quality with classy spotlights and high backed chairs. The bar area was also very attractive but all in all, it just looked like it needed some TLC and didn’t scream ‘fine dining’ as described, although it was clear that it had once upon-a-time.

The menu was very substantial and offered some interesting dishes. For starters I chose an unusual Chicken and Pasta Balti and Mr V went for the Mas Biran (a fillet of fish rubbed with spicy paste and fresh dill, sizzled in mustard oil). My pasta dish worked surprisingly well. I was asked whether I would like it mild, medium or hot and I was pleased that it was hot like I had ordered. So often ‘hot’ seems to mean ‘a little above mild for the delicate Westerner’.

Although nice, my starter did seem rather out-of-place on the menu that boasts authentic dishes. As Cardamom is a more traditional establishment than a fusion restaurant it seemed like a strange addition. Mr V’s fish was very good. It was nicely cooked with a subtle flavour. Our starters came with some deliciously tasty mint and tamarind sauces which were both homemade.

For our mains we chose Lamb Anawaka (lamb tikka with ground spices, tomatoes and green peppers) and Snapper Fish Masala. The stand out dish of the night was the lamb. It was cooked beautifully and had real depth of flavour served with chunky mushrooms and peppers.

The tender snapper was well cooked but the sauce was a touch bland and very oily. The accompanying garlic naan was very good.

Presentation wise, the dishes were that of a standard Indian restaurant rather than a fine dining establishment. Our starters were on plain white plates that were adorned with colourless salad and a slice of lemon. It didn’t reflect fine dining but then again, neither did the prices which were more than reasonable. Our starters only cost £4.50 each and our mains were well priced too.

Moving onto dessert, I was pleased to see quite an extensive menu including a number of home-made dishes. We ordered a coconut samosa and a pastishapta which was a pancake filled with a coconut filling.

The desserts were definitely value for money as they were very substantial. However, the pancake filling was very dry not as sweet as I would expect a dessert to be. It came with cream but that did seem like a strange accompaniment.

All in all, we had very mixed feelings about Cardamom. It has won lots of awards and have some confident statements on their website so expectations were high and it just didn’t hit the mark. An article in the Guardian in 2005 spoke of well dressed crowds and a ‘chic eatery’ but this isn’t the impression we got. Much of the good press highlighted on their website and the awards were several years ago and it seems that Cardamom has lost its way a little.

As an Indian restaurant, it is very good but it is not what I would describe as ‘fine dining’ and this is what Cardamom claims to be. It may seem that I am being harsh but I review restaurants on what they profess to be and Cardamom claim to offer ‘a fine dining experience’. Had this not been the case and I would have awarded a green spoon for quality of food but if they are marketing themselves as fine dining, they just fall short.

My Last Mouthful was: Lamb Anawaka

Service-

Atmosphere and decor-

Quality of food-

Diversity of menu-

Value for money-

Overall rating- 

For more reviews of local food, competitions and news please take a look at the website- yourlastmouthful.com

General, Orange spoon, Restaurant reviews , , , ,

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