BBQ Xiang, Cardiff city centre Cantonese roast meat review

I’ve got a hell of a lot of love for roast meat.

Whether it’s Cantonese siu mei, a Sunday roast, spit-roasted souvlaki and shawarma, or Spanish suckling pig, a pile of tender caramelised meat is pretty much as good as it gets in my book. 

So, it’s good to see the proliferation of Cantonese style roast meat specialists in Cardiff. 

The latest to join the fold is BBQ Xiang on Caroline Street, located in the tiny former site of Malai Thai. With a hyper-specialised menu, you can have whatever you want as long as it’s Cantonese roast meat. 

On offer is roast duck, crispy pork, char sui pork, soy sauce chicken and steamed chicken served with a choice of rice, soup noodles or stir-fried noodles. A handful of other specials includes dumpling noodle soup, vegetables with garlic and fish with pickled mustard greens. 

As is customary for siu mei specialists, they've got their wares on display in the kitchen window. I've got a lot of time for transparency and pride in product and those golden-skinned ducks and chickens looked cluckin’ tasty.

To drink, a bottle of ice cold roasty oolong tea (£3.50) provided perfect refreshment.

On my first visit, the meats were all superb. Tender, juicy and well-rendered of fat. Pork belly was crispy AF, off the bone duck breast was impeccably juicy and best of all, the char sui pork, had an addictively good, sweet marinade. They were served hot too, which is more my bag than when it’s served at room temperature. 

I ordered my triple roast meats in laksa (£13.80) with ramen noodles. The thin broth had a lovely chilli heat, fragrance and creamy coconuttiness. In its depths bobbed crisp beansprouts, tofu puffs, lettuce and coriander. A family-sized portion of noodles were pleasingly bouncy with a little chew.

On a second visit, my pick of the triple roast meats (£13.80) from the first visit turned out to be the weakest link.

Char sui pork still had its beautiful, sweet glaze but the meat was a little bit dry. In contrast, thin skinned bone-in roast duck and crunchy crackling pork belly were both bang on.

An accompanying mound of rice was nicely cooked and drizzled with sweet soy. Steamed lettuce provided token greenery whilst a dollop of chilli oil delivered a kick of spice.

BBQ Xiang most certainly know what they’re doing when it comes to Cantonese roast meats and when they’re on form they’re definitely up there with the best I've had in Cardiff. Coupled with their fast service and fair pricing, it makes for a great cheap addition to Cardiff city centre. 

The Details:

Address - BBQ Xiang, 33 Caroline Street, Cardiff CF10 1FF
Web - https://www.instagram.com/bbq_xiang/
Telephone - 07412 972271

Nok and Roni's Kitchen, falafel and Thai cooking, Cardiff review

It feels like it’s been a very long and wet winter.

It must have felt even longer for outdoor-centric businesses like Nok and Roni’s Kitchen in Canton’s Boneyard.

Whilst they’ve got covered seating to take shelter from any inevitable downpours, this is a place where you’re acutely aware of the elements.

So, on the first sunny day in Cardiff in what seemed like months, we decided it was time for a long overdue visit to Nok and Roni’s.

For keen followers of Cardiff restaurant lore, Roni is the former owner of Crwys Road’s Falafel Kitchen, home of the best falafel that I’ve ever eaten in the city.

Having closed in 2018, Roni started a Mediterranean and Thai street food stall with his wife Nok. Hence the name Nok and Roni’s.

After stints at Roath and Riverside Markets, a short-lived cafe on Trade Street, and a spell at McCarthur Glen in Bridgend, Nok and Roni relocated to the Boneyard in early 2025.

I’ve always thought the Boneyard is a bit of a funny location. Hidden away at the end of an industrial estate alongside other shipping container creative companies, it’s the kind of place which has almost no passing trade.

So, unless you’ve planned a visit to Nok and Roni's, it’s very unlikely you’re going to stumble across them. It’s a shame because Nok and Roni’s menu of Mediterranean and Thai street food classics is the type of food that deserves to be stumbled upon.

Having ordered at the counter and following a short wait for everything to be cooked to order, we were in business.

Mrs G ordered the falafel wrap (£8) and its main component was every bit as good as I remembered. At least half a dozen golden falafel were beautifully crisp and grease free with light, soft and herb-flecked centres. They were stuffed into a whopping soft flat bread alongside thick hummus and fresh salad. On the side was a generous pile of skinny, paprika-dusted fries. For £8 this was a hell of a feed.

Despite also wanting to order falafel, I thought it would be churlish to not give Nok’s Thai cooking a go. I was very glad I did.

A tofu pad Thai (£9) was excellent. A generous portion of slippery noodles with just the right amount of bite were coated in a tangy, sweet and savoury sauce that was lifted with a good squeeze of lime. The crunch of smashed peanuts, fresh spring onions, a dusting of chilli flakes, caramelised omelette pieces and a scattering of squishy tofu puffs completed the delicious and well-priced dish.

I was worried about having FFOMO (falafel fear of missing out) so I ordered a side of falafel and hummus. Six of those brilliant chickpea fritters were sat in a bowl of thick and smooth tahini rich hummus. I was very glad I ordered them but at £6.50 I’d question their value compared to the wrap with chips that costs just £1.50 more. Next time I’ll skip breakfast and order a wrap and a pad Thai.

We had a belter of a lunch at Nok and Roni’s Kitchen and it’s great to see Cardiff’s falafel king still reigns supreme.

At the end of our meal, when I asked Roni how things were going in their new home, he told me that they’d struggled with the wet weather and so are potentially looking at relocating once again to a bricks and mortar space. I totally understand their dilemma. Wherever they’re based, Cardiff is very much better off with Nok and Roni’s cooking.

The Details:

Address - Nok and Roni's Kitchen, The Bone Yard, Paper Mill Road, Canton, Cardiff CF11 8DH

Web - https://www.instagram.com/nokandronikitchen/?hl=en

Telephone - 07400 522233