Vicino, Pontcanna, tapas and cocktail bar review

All hail the picky bits.

I’m a big fan of Spanish and Italian bar culture where you can enjoy a couple of drinks accompanied by some tapas or cicchetti.

It’s a very civilised way of getting sozzled and a fine way to enjoy lots of little different things to eat as you meander between bars.

Which brings me to Vicino, the new Mediterranean tapas, wine and cocktail bar from the team behind Sonder. Meaning ‘neighbour’ in Italian, it’s unsurprisingly located across the road from its vibey Pontcanton mothership, a restaurant which has taken the city by storm since opening twelve months ago.

Billed as “somewhere small bites turn into big nights”, the cosy venue was already buzzing in the middle of the afternoon of their first Saturday in business.

Vicino offers a big selection of cocktails and wines by the glass as well as a few beers and ciders. Mrs G got stuck straight into the Veuve Cliquot champagne (£13) whilst I tried a couple of their long drinks. A grown up yet refreshing Garibaldi (£12) was the standout, combining Campari, blood orange and basil. A slightly less complex Levriero (£12), made with grappa, white port and grapefruit, was still lovely.

Vicino’s food menu is a collection of mostly cold nibbles, charcuterie and sandwiches. It’s a lot less involved than the food on offer at Sonder and most definitely the kind of thing you can pick at over a few drinks.

The first thing to turn up was a slice of tortilla (£5) and it was the first dish that had caught my eye on the menu too.

The combination of golden eggs, caramelised onion sweetness, a dusting of salty cheese and poky aioli was very good. But, I thought there was a bit too much bite in the spuds so that it didn’t quite cohere into a soft textured whole. Mrs G of course disagreed and enjoyed the texture contrast.

Tuna tartare crostini (£7.50) were my favourite of the dishes we ate. Crisp and fatty golden toasts were topped with a meaty dice of raw tuna and avocado that were seasoned with the zing of lime and fresh coriander. I could have smashed a dozen of them.

Home fried earthy crisps (£5) were delicious dredged through a light and creamy dip with a good funk of salty and smoky blue cheese. A salsa of tomato, olives, peppers and onion brought freshness to the plate.

A sweet and flavoursome salad of heritage tomatoes (£5) were well dressed with good quality olive oil and vinegar.

From the sandwich and toastie section of the menu, we ordered a couple to share.

A pressed grilled cheese and leek sandwich (£7) was laden with oozy dairy and soft, sweet allium. It didn’t necessarily need the pot of sweet and umami burn onion ketchup on the side, but I gladly forked it straight into my gob.

Even better was a light and airy focaccia sandwich (£9) that was stacked with creamy stracciatella, salty cured prosciutto and grassy olive oil.

 

Vicino is another vibrant addition to Pontcanton’s hospitality scene and the team behind Sonder have hit the mark once again with their follow-up. We had a lovely time grazing and boozing over lunch but it’s most certainly the kind of place you don’t need to go for a meal. You could just as easily pop in for a drink and a snack, then see where the rest of the evening takes you, which might happen to be across the road to Sonder.

The Details:

Address - Vicino, 72a Llandaff Rd, Pontcanna, Cardiff CF11 9NL

Web - https://www.instagram.com/vicino.cardiff/

Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias, Colwyn Bay, North Wales restaurant review

Despite Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias's credentials as a former AA Restaurant of the Year for Wales, I was still a little bit sceptical about how good it was going to be.

Firstly, because restaurants with great views in tourist destinations are often mediocre. The reason, tourists don’t tend to be repeat customers, and a pretty view is enough to draw anyone in.

Secondly, because celebrity chef-owned restaurants sometimes trade off a star name that only ever pops their head in once a year.

I was immediately proved wrong on the second count because we were informed that Bryn visits the restaurant two or three times a month as well as making regular visits to his other gaffs in Penarth and Switzerland.

The proof would be in the pudding on the first charge…

Situated on Colwyn Bay’s seafront, Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias’s industrial dining room was a striking venue for an Easter Monday lunch. Other people clearly agreed as it was pretty much a full house.

Understandably, the menu is well populated with fish, with most starters costing around £9, mains in the low twenties, and desserts about £9. It’s surprisingly well-priced compared to other bistros we’ve visited lately.

The first bite of a meal is so often an indicator of how good things are going to be and in this case soda bread (£5) was a beacon of hope. Served hot from the oven, the sturdy sliced loaf had lovely sweet caramelised notes and was excellent slathered with whipped salted butter.

Mrs G kicked off with the Scottish scallop (£19.50), a behemoth of a bivalve with caramelised edges whose accompaniments all packed a punch. There was creamy cauliflower puree, earthy pieces of black pudding and a warming curry oil flecked with sweet sultanas and crunchy pine nuts. It was a delicious riff on a classic.

My crab rarebit (£9.20) was a simpler yet equally delicious proposition. Sourdough toast was laden with a thick mustardy cheese sauce enhanced with an earthy hit of brown crab. On top, a mound of sweet, allium-flecked white crab provided a counterpoint to the richness.

Much like the starters (and us), Mrs G went classy and I went basic.

A beautifully cooked whole plaice (£24.50) flaked off the bone with ease. Sat in a pool of beurre noisette with addictive sweet and toasty caramelised notes, pickled shimeji mushrooms, cucumber and capers all brought welcome pops of acidity.

I went for the fish fingers (£18.50) which were served in anything but a kiddies’ tea-sized portion. Three breadcrumbed fillets of coley were commendably crisp and meaty and served alongside a big pot of golden fries and sweet crushed peas.

The kicker, however, was a mahoosive bowl of homemade creamy tartare sauce that was fragranced with dill and zingy pieces of pickle.

We also shared a Caesar salad (£4.10) on the side, which was a naughty little treat. Crisp leaves were coated in an umami-charged anchovy mayo and topped with a flurry of parmesan cheese and crisp Sourdough croutons.

The baked Alaska (£8.70) has been on the menu at Porth Eirias since day one, so it sounded like a sensible order. Light sponge was topped with a dollop of tangy berry jam, a big dollop of smooth vanilla ice cream and coated in light and silky baked meringue which was soft and mallowy in parts and crisp and caramelised elsewhere. This cast iron skillet of indulgence is definitely for those with a sweet tooth and I reckon it could easily have served two people.

Mrs G ordered the lemon curd parfait (£8) from the specials board and it was the winner of the two desserts. A soft, thick and creamy frozen parfait with a lick of lemon acidity was served with a bevy of treats - zingy blobs of lemon curd, freeze-dried sour cherries, crunchy granola and a toasty black sesame tuille.

Despite my trepidation, we had an excellent lunch at Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias. Their technically accomplished and well-priced classical cooking, served in beautiful setting, makes this a celebrity restaurant which most definitely deserves its reputation.

The Details:

Address - Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias, The Promenade, Colwyn Bay, Conwy LL29 8HH

Web - https://portheirias.com/

Telephone - 01492 533700