Whilst its architectural appeal might be questionable, it’s great to see the rejuvenation of the area around Churchill Way, which now forms Cardiff’s Canal Quarter.
Wouldn’t it be lovely see food and drink businesses lining the waterside, packed with diners and drinkers enjoying some al fresco hospitality? That is if it ever stops raining.
One hospitality business leading the charge is Hench Burger and Café Hench.
Hench Burger first briefly popped up at the Royal Oak on Newport Road in 2023 and made a name for themselves with their deliciously crusty and caramelised smash burgers. Sadly, the pop-up was short-lived and Hench have since done stints at Canton’s Corporation Yard and Kongs in the city centre.
At the beginning of March 2024, they opened their first bricks and mortar venue on the former site of The Sandwich Bar on Churchill Way. It’s a functional venue with just a few seats inside, but their outside bench seating will be a dream when the sun finally appears for more than ten minutes.
At the beginning of March 2024, they opened their first bricks and mortar venue on the former site of The Sandwich Bar on Churchill Way. It’s a functional venue with just a few seats inside, but their outside bench seating will be a dream when the sun finally appears for more than ten minutes.
Hench’s menu, which is served at lunch and dinner from Monday to Saturday, focuses on smash burgers, buttermilk chicken burgers and loaded fries. Whilst we ordered some of their more straightforward flavour combinations, if you’re looking for something a bit different then their Kiwi burger comes topped with charred pineapple, beetroot and tomato chutney, and the Beirut Badboy is loaded with hummus and crispy chickpeas. For non-meat eaters, Hench offers vegan Symplicity patties with any of their burgers.
Hench also serves a café menu which is available at lunch times. But during our visit I didn't spot it as only their burger menus were prominently displayed on the wall.
A New Yorker (£10.50) was a big messy beast of a burger. A sturdy yet light Alex Gooch challah bun cradled a pair of well-crusted, nicely beefy and seriously juicy 4oz smashed patties. Warming American mustard mayo, thick salty bacon, a gargantuan ooze of American cheese, lettuce, sweet soft onions, and dill pickles completed the excellent burger.
A Straight Up (£9) was a more no-nonsense affair, and both Mrs G and I decided it was the pick of the two. Another pair of those gnarly edged smashed beef patties and melted American cheese were supplemented with a big dollop of Bovril mayonnaise, which added a good beefy and umami intensity. On the side, sweet and sharp red cabbage slaw and crisp iceberg added light relief to both the rich burgers.
Katsu curry loaded fries (£8) saw exceedingly crisp skin on fries topped with comfortingly spiced curry mayonnaise, crispy onions, sprunions, and melted cheese. Nuggets of tender battered chicken perched on top were very enjoyable, but I’d probably prefer a more rugged crumb instead of batter. Most impressively, the chips remained crisp for the duration of our meal rather than gradually becoming a soggy mush.
We had a delicious lunch at Hench and their burgers and loaded fries are some of the best Cardiff has to offer. I hope they become part of the furniture in the city’s rejuvenated Canal Quarter.
Whilst you’re visiting the area, I’d highly recommend pairing it with a visit to the Flute and Tankard, which is just a few minutes’ walk away on Windsor Place. They serve an excellent range of craft beer, which includes brews from Arbor, The Kernel, and North, in a pleasingly unhipsterish setting. However, it’s worth bearing in behind they open at 3pm daily, as we found out when we were planning a post lunch pint.
Whilst you’re visiting the area, I’d highly recommend pairing it with a visit to the Flute and Tankard, which is just a few minutes’ walk away on Windsor Place. They serve an excellent range of craft beer, which includes brews from Arbor, The Kernel, and North, in a pleasingly unhipsterish setting. However, it’s worth bearing in behind they open at 3pm daily, as we found out when we were planning a post lunch pint.
The Details:
Hench Burger
Address - 7 Churchill Way, Cardiff CF10 2HD
Telephone -
Flute and Tankard
Address - 4 Windsor Place, Cardiff CF10 3BX
Telephone - 029 2039 8315
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