Nefis Cafe, Cathays, Cardiff Turkish breakfast review

Ever since Cardiff Turkish breakfast trailblazers Longa opened their doors back in 2019, more and more cafes across the city have started to serve a similar offering.

As the saying goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

One spot dishing out a similar menu is Nefis Café on Cathays’ Crwys Road, whose strapline is a “Taste of Istanbul”.

Located on the former site of Stagg Coffee, Nefis’ expansive outdoor seating area and eclectic inside space make it a comfy spot for all of Wales’ climactic extremes.

On the menu are traditional Turkish breakfast dishes like menemen and sucuk with eggs, baked goods such as simit bagels and borek, and house specials like manti dumplings and hummus with slow cooked lamb.

However, it was the Nefis Turkish breakfast that caught my eye. For £12 you can choose a main from a selection of five dishes, accompanied by a selection of eight sides, bread and Turkish tea. On paper it’s extremely good value – unusually, even more so than the version for two people that costs £25.

Despite Nefis being pretty busy on a weekday lunchtime, my order arrived quickly. And what a looker it was with its ornate centrepiece surrounded by a bevy of treats.

The main event, kavurma and eggs saw scrambled eggs flecked with pieces of intensely flavoured and tender slow-cooked lamb scattered with palate warming chilli flakes.

A little light on seasoning, it really kicked up a gear when it combined with a smear of fragrant and spicy cemen, a harissa-esque red pepper paste that featured as one of the accompaniments.

A generous basket of soft-crumbed Turkish bread was an essential mop for the eggs and selection of sides. I intended to only eat half the basket, but my carb-grabbing reflex got the better of me and before I knew it I’d devoured the final piece.

Out of the eight sides, grilled halloumi and a puck of tangy cream cheese were the highlights. Sweet honey with a dollop of clotted cream was also lovely slathered over the bread to make a mini dessert.

The only real dud was a tepid hot dog in a bland tomatoey sauce. A dollop of jam was decent but light on fruit intensity.

A large glass of fragrant and sweet Turkish tea was a delicious drink.

When I’d just about polished everything off, a complimentary piece of crisp and sugar-soaked baklava arrived to bring a sweet conclusion to my meal.

I really enjoyed my Turkish breakfast at Nefis. Whilst it doesn’t quite hit the same highs as Longa’s version, it’s really excellent value for £12 all in. If you’re in the market for a Middle Eastern breakfast in Cardiff, then it’s well worth checking out.

The Details:

Address - Nefis Cafe, 83 Crwys Rd, Cardiff CF24 4NF

Web - https://nefiscardiff.co.uk/

Telephone - 020 3342 1106

The Three Horseshoes, Batcombe, Somerset pub review

Before a big evening meal, it's always important to have a light lunch to preserve your appetite.

With seven hours to go until my birthday blowout, we decided to pop in for a snack in the bar at the Three Horseshoes in Batcombe.

Things rapidly escalated...

Owned by Margot Henderson of Rochelle Canteen fame, the Three Horseshoes is an olde worlde Somerset pub with a chic edge that's currently ranked at number seven in the Top 50 Gastropubs list.

Their menu, which is scattered with offal and seasonal ingredients, is understandably of a similar ilk to Rochelle Canteen and St John.

Eyecatchers included fried pig’s head and ketchup (£12), grilled merguez with roast peppers (£23) and mutton, leek and wild garlic pie (£23). A smaller bar menu also offers dishes like devilled pig skin (£4) and a cheddar toastie (£9).

With one eye on our evening meal, we ordered a few dishes from both menus to share.

We both stuck to the Three Horseshoes' alcohol-free draught beer option – Wiper and True’s excellent Tomorrow lager. 

To start, a trio of crisp and peppery hot pink radishes (£13) were absolute whoppers. They were excellent dredged through salty and smoky whipped cod’s roe and the rich yolk of a duck egg.

A planetary scotch egg (£6) had its own gravitational field. The golden crumb, thick layer of juicy pork mince and a runny-yolked egg were all good. But its light seasoning meant it needed a bit of something something. Fortunately, a dollop of fiery English mustard solved the conundrum.

For main, we ordered a pair of big buns.

The first soft white bap was filled with crumbed white fish (£13), mixed leaves and creamy sauce gribiche. It was good but it lacked a punch of seasoning – perhaps a few more cornichons, capers or green herb in the sauce gribiche would have done the trick.

There were no issues with a salt beef bun (£13) that was stacked high with a slab of tender spiced meat, an ooze of Ogleshield cheese and the light acidity of pickled red cabbage. It was a belter of a sarnie.

Dessert saw the standout dish of the meal and the wheels really falling off my light lunch plans.

A trencherman’s portion of treacle tart (£11) combined thin, golden and crisp pastry and a soft toasty filling with a compelling kick of citrus. A dollop of clotted cream sealed the deal.

We had a delicious lunch at the Three Horseshoes and their refined, yet rustic seasonal cooking was right up my street. I’ll most definitely be going back for a more substantial meal next time we’re in the area.

P.S. in case you had any worries, of course my appetite returned in time for dinner.

The Details:

Address - The Three Horseshoes, Batcombe, Somerset BA4 6HE
Web - https://www.thethreehorseshoesbatcombe.co.uk/
Telephone - 01749 326147