Saturday 16 February 2019

Milkwood, Pontcanna, Cardiff set lunch review


A meal out for one is a always rare treat.

You see, I love food so much that every now and then it’s rather nice to have some alone time with a plate of protein.

Last week, I found myself with a day to spare having tactically booked annual leave after an epic beer tasting at The Bottle Shop in Roath.


It meant I could finally to take advantage of Milkwood’s ridiculously good value set lunch menu. This Pontcanna restaurant serves some of the best modern seasonal cooking in Cardiff and on Wednesday to Friday lunch they offer three courses and a glass of wine for a bargainous £21.

On the day I visited, the regularly changing set lunch menu comprised of two starters, three mains and one dessert.


A pre-lunch snack of dark rye and seed bread was pleasingly warm, crusty and soft crumbed with a good anise twang from caraway seeds. A cube of creamy salted butter was disappointingly fridge cold (the only mediocre element of the entire meal).


The glass of white included in the lunch deal was a light, fruity and very neckable Richebaron Blanc made with a blend of sauvignon blanc and chardonnay.


Onto starter, and thick cut meaty, smoky and oily slices of trout were balanced by the delicate thump of a horseradish dressing. Lightly dressed mixed leaves (grown and bicycled over from Bute Park) and crisp and tangy sourdough toast completed the delicious plate.


A refined take on a gallic comfort food classic was my main course. Perfectly crisp-skinned confit duck was tender of flesh with the fat rendered away nicely. The cracking piece of meat was perched in a vegetable based stew loaded with soft beans, kale and diced potato and joined by al dente tender stem broccoli and a vibrant herb pistou which gave lift to the whole dish.


The only dessert available did not disappoint. Thick, creamy vanilla-fragranced rice pudding (the grains retaining the merest amount of bite) was paired with a light, fragrant and tart rhubarb compote. Homemade biscuits were like a luxury Lotus Biscoff, a very good thing indeed. With their familiar caramel and cinnamon twang, they brought welcome texture contrast to the dish.


Milkwood’s lunch deal is an absolute steal and there’s no skimping on portion size either. If you ever find yourself with a spare weekday lunchtime then I seriously recommend checking it out.

The Details:

Address - Milkwood, 83 Pontcanna Street, Pontcanna Cardiff CF11 9HS
Web - www.milkwoodcardiff.com

Telephone - 02920 232226

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