Sip and Salt and Tomi, Roath, Cardiff restaurant reviews

My original opening theme for this week’s post was going to be the fascinating revelation that both Tomi and Sip and Salt are next door neighbours in Roath’s Globe Centre.

But I then realised they share something else in common that’s marginally more interesting – they use marketing methods that have put me off from visiting.

In the case of Tomi, an Italian-Kebab-Egyptian diner and takeaway, it’s their use of AI posters to promote their meal deals and specials that made me sceptical. And in the case of Sip and Salt, a cocktail and burger bar, it’s the free meals they’ve handed out to influencers.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand how hard it is to run a hospitality business in the current climate and that you’ve got to try anything to get people through the door.

But, nothing makes food less appealing to me than formulaic computer-generated posters of slightly weird looking plates of food or the excessive positivity of influencers who’ve already got one eye on their next free meal.

So, what made me change my mind about visiting both restaurants?

In the case of Tomi, it was good old word of mouth from someone who’s opinion I trust.

And in the case of Sip and Salt, it was seeing the freshly baked buns they use on their own social media posts. One of the biggest quality indicators of a burger joint is the buns they use – if you’re buying in St Pierre brioche buns then there’s a limit to how good you can really be.

But, I digress.

I found myself visiting Sip and Salt for a weeknight solo meal.

Occupying the former site of Kuro and Little Vietnam, it’s a cosy spot where I could happily spend an evening nursing a few drinks. Which is just as well, because Sip and Salt serve an interesting range of classic and creative cocktails.

I ordered a Matt's margarita (£10.75) as it’s billed as their signature cocktail. It was excellent - ice cold with a big hit of lime, a nearly frozen viscosity, and a barely discernible quantity of booze. I knocked most of it back within a few minutes and immediately had a light head.

From the selection of starters that includes padron peppers, beef croquettes and crispy king prawns, I picked the halloumi fries (£7.50). A trio of bricks of melty and salty cheese were coated in a hyper crisp panko crumb and sat on blobs of sweet chilli jam with a deceptively potent hit of harissa. It was very tasty but on balance, I think I prefer my halloumi fries without breadcrumbs.

Onto mains, and Sip and Salt serve a selection of beef brisket, chicken and veggie burgers as well as steak sandwiches and salads.

A Smoky Stack burger (£14.50) combined a first rate soft and sturdy Alex Gooch challah bun filled with a double stack of well-crusted, nicely beefy and still juicy patties.

A hot mess of other toppings all worked very well together - there was crisp streaky bacon, sweet and smoky bacon jam, an ooze of smoked gouda, tangy burger sauce, cleansing gherkins and a slice of sweet tomato. This was a very good burger indeed.

On the side, Cajun fries (£2.50) were crisp and dusted with a savoury and spicy seasoning.

Now, onto Tomi, an understated looking diner and takeaway that’s located in RomaEat’s original home on Albany Road.

Whilst the mainstay of their menu is a selection of pizza, pasta and kebabs, they serve a Friday night special of koshary, Egypt’s national dish.

When Mrs G’s work colleague, who’s travelled extensively to the Middle East, advised us that it was better than some of the versions of the dish that he’d eaten in Egypt, we headed down as soon as possible.

£7.99 buys you a colossal foil bowl that's laden with mixed pasta, rice, wholemeal vermicelli, lentils and chickpeas topped with fruity tomato sauce and crispy onions. 

On the side, there are bowls of zingy and fragrant garlic and lemon vinegar and chilli sauce.

This was a delicious dish, and exactly the kind of hearty comfort food that I crave now the weather has turned baltic.

And for dessert (if we hadn't already had enough carbs), there were complimentary mini pots of creamy rice pudding.

Despite being initially reluctant to visit both Tomi and Sip and Salt, they’re a pair of Roath business that are most definitely worth checking out. I’ll certainly be returning for more burgers, cocktails and bowls of comforting koshary.

The Details:

Sip and Salt - Unit 11 The Globe Centre, Albany Rd, Cardiff CF24 3PE

Web - https://www.sipandsalt.co.uk/

Telephone - 029 2063 0140

Tomi - 123 Albany Rd, Cardiff CF24 3NS

Web - 029 2063 8464

Persian Nights, Cardiff Persian restaurant review

You often get the feeling pretty soon after arriving at a restaurant whether it’s onto a good thing or not.

In the case of Persian Nights, a Middle Eastern restaurant located on Cardiff's Woodville Road, the positive vibes hit you as soon as you cross the threshold and encounter a clay oven where a friendly baker churns out freshly baked bread to order.

All the other signs are promising too, from the warm welcome to the cosy interior with nods to Persia, and the compact and reasonably priced menu of grills, strews and dips.

We kick off the meal with kashk bademjan (£8), a beauty of a hot dip that combines savoury charred aubergine with sweet caramelised onions, a hint of garlic and dried mint, the creaminess of whey and a scattering of crispy onions. 

It's lovely with the aforementioned freshly baked bread that arrives seconds after being plucked from the fiery oven.

Chicken kebabs often disappoint as they tend towards being slightly dry. This is most certainly not the case at Persian Nights as their joojeh kebab (£16) is remarkably juicy. Marinated in golden saffron and lemon, and lightly charred around the edges, it's arguably the best chicken kebab I've eaten in Cardiff (alongside the now sadly closed Mowlana).

On the side, there's a mountain of fluffy rice with an optional pack of salted butter included for extra decadence. There's also sumac dressed onions and a charred fiery green pepper and a sweet tomato, the latter of which could have been cooked a bit more.

I order the makhsoos mixed grill (£20), which has all the same components as joojeh, but with a lamb koobideh kebab thrown into the mix. The minced lamb kebab is excellent - it's juicy, tender and well-seasoned without any bounciness from being overworked. A jar of tangy sumac is also brought in case we want to add extra fragrance to the meat.

To accompany our kebabs, we order ghormeh sabsi (£7), a brooding bowlful of earthy stewed herbs, tender kidney beans and dried lime.

Whilst Persian Nights serves the ubiquitous baklava, there's also a trio of Persian desserts on offer - saffron ice cream, frozen vermicelli with rose water, and nan khame (a cream bun).

We of course order the cream bun (£4.75) and it’s very good. Light choux pastry is absolutely crammed to the edges with thick vanilla scented cream.

We’re recommended a pot of tea to go with it and opt for mint (£6). A giant ornate pot of the stuff is fragrant and lightly tannic. It’s a lovely balance with the sweet bun.

We had a cracking meal at Persian Nights and it's clear we're not the only ones who think they're onto a winning formula as by the time we left at 6.30pm on a Wednesday, the restaurant was almost full. If you're looking for a top-drawer Middle Eastern meal in Cardiff, then I'd highly recommend paying them a visit.

The Details:

Address - Persian Nights, 119-121 Woodville Road, Cardiff CF24 4DZ

Web - https://www.persiannights.uk/cardiff/

Telephone - 029 2063 0355