A dearth of Spanish restaurants in Cardiff has
transformed into abundance in a matter of months. Bar 44 Penarth, La Cuina and
La Cha Cha are the 3 which I’m struggling to resist comparing to buses.
Safe in the knowledge that Bar 44 is a banker and with La Cha Cha sounding a bit iffy, it was La Cuina’s Catalonian
focus which piqued my curiosity the most. Located on the site of the obsolete
Patagonia, this delicatessen cum tapas bar cum restaurant has serious visual
impact.
The simple & bold logo, grand window
table, and chillers filled with pies, tortillas, meats and olives all serve as
a siren’s call.
We visited La Cuina on a Friday night. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, there’s a set menu in action (1 course £18, 2
courses £23 and 3 courses £28). Their tapas menu is available during the day
and on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.
A mouthful of stonking chorizo bread set
the tone for the win packed menu. It was the first time in ages that it’s taken
me more than a minute to choose my evening meal.
Whilst the rest of the group knocked back a
number of carafes excellent Catalonian house red, I had a beer (Catalonian I
think).
Everyone was very impressed with their
starters.
My salad of salty smoked duck breast was carefully
balanced by soft sweet apple, rocket leaves and a pomegranate dressing.
Mrs G’s salad of poached pear and creamy
Cabrales blue cheese was dressed with red wine, star anise and chilli.
The other starters of Welsh smoked halibut
and sweet pimenton salad…
and slow cooked Catalan rabbit on toasted
sourdough were rated highly.
Mains were decent but not of the same level
as the starters.
My main comprised of a couple of decent
sized pieces of well flavoured yet fairly dry pheasant, lonesome pieces of
broccoli and cauliflower, and a roast potato. The highlight was an excellent
sauce heady with anise and orange.
Whilst Mrs G’s Mari I Muntanya (Sea and
Mountain) looked a little anaemic, it was the stronger of the two dishes. Moist
chicken and tender prawns were bathed in a flavour-packed sauce of wine, tomato
and onion.
Desserts were a mixture of excellent and
average.
A moist orange and almond cake coated with glistening
dark chocolate ganache was stunning.
A cheese selection of 4 interesting goats’
and sheeps’ cheeses was good too. It was just crying out for a little
lubrication from some quince jelly or chutney.
A light yet flavour-lacking chocolate
roulade with raspberry coulis was the weakest link.
Whilst our meal wasn’t a triumph across the
board, La Cuina is dishing out food with exciting ingredients and interesting
flavour combinations. There’s a sophistication to the dining space and warmth
to the service which makes a return visit to sample their croquettas on a
tapas night inevitable…
The details:
Address - La Cuina, 11 Kings Road, Cardiff, CF11 9BZ
Web - http://www.lacuina.co.uk
Telephone - 029 20190265
Thanks for the mention! Sounds like this one could be more promising - it's on my list!
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