Moo Moo Thai Tapas, Roath restaurant review

I could have told you in detail about the takeaway we had from Moo Moo Thai Tapas during the middle of last year’s first lockdown which was over an hour late and tepid by the time we tucked into it.

However, from the many positive reports I'd heard about the place, I knew this couldn't be a true reflection of their food. So, Mrs G and I resolved to visit this understated City Road restaurant in person whenever dine-in hospitality reopened.

First of all, a word about the “tapas” in their title. It’s a bit of a false flag for a menu which focuses on starters, mains and desserts. But, I’ll leave it there and instead focus on their excellent Thai food.

Strips of tender beef (£6) coated in a light and super crisp crumb were lovely dredged through a bowl of addictively sweet and savoury dark sesame sauce.

Bounce-free and greaseless squid pieces (£6) were enrobed in a rugged batter and tumbled together with heaps of sweet onions and golden caramelised garlic and a light scattering of chilli.

Chicken pad thai (£10.95) was a great example of its type, the slippery noodles and meat were bathed in a sweet, savoury, spicy and citrusy sauce with a compelling lick of smoke from the wok.

Duck penang curry (£14.95) was ridiculously good, in fact it's one of the best pieces of duck cookery I've encountered in the city. A gloriously tender roasted duck breast with well rendered fat and crisp skin sat on additional scraggy pieces of crunchy flesh. It was all bathed in an addictively fragrant, spicy and creamy sauce topped with kaffir lime leaves.

A pot of sticky rice (£2.50) was essential for mopping up all that sauce.

We had a cracking meal at Moo Moo Thai Tapas. Yes, there may be trendier and more Instagram-friendly Thai places in the city. But, if you haven’t visited Moo Moo yet then I’d highly recommend checking them out.

The Details:

Address - Moo Moo Thai Tapas, 244 City Road, Cardiff CF24 3BS

Web - http://www.moomoothaitapas.co.uk/

Telephone - 07868456268