Desi Dera, Cathays, Cardiff Pakistani restaurant review

By most accounts it’s a perilous time to be running a hospitality business in the UK.

According to one recent survey, a third of hospitality businesses are now running at a loss and 60% have had to cut jobs to try and stay afloat.

And with businesses like Gary Usher’s excellent Kala bistro shuttering its doors and Bristol’s acclaimed Sonny Stores pivoting to a more financially sustainable approach, it all makes for rather depressing reading.

So, to open a new restaurant in the current climate is a very brave (or bonkers) thing to do.

Especially doing so without any web presence or social media to promote your business.

Which is exactly what Desi Dera, a new Pakistani restaurant on Crwys Road, seems to have done.

Having walked past it the other week, I googled it and all I could find was a registration on Companies House and a pending Scores on the Doors rating.

So, after a few happy hour beers at Pop n Hops, we decided to check it out.

With its gilded décor and functional furnishing, Desi Dera’s dining space is deceptively large. On the midweek night we visited there were just a couple of other occupied tables. The absence of the hum of chatter or any background music gave the place a slightly library-like atmosphere.

Desi Dera’s menu includes familiar grill favourites like seekh kebab and chicken tikka whilst an extensive range of curries includes bone-in or bone-off lamb or chicken karahi as well as specials like nihari and haleem.

With the scorching hot weather, we were both in the mood for grilled meat and so ordered the rather good value looking platter for two (£24.99).

But first complimentary poppadoms arrived as soon as we sat down. This kind of generosity always endears a place to me. Crisp and grease free, they were accompanied by solid mango chutney, mint yoghurt and chilli sauce. However, a side salad looked a little sad around the edges.

To drink, a mango lassi (£2.50) was ice cold but light on fruit flavour. Judging by the logistical challenge involved in preparing it, I’m not sure how many people have ordered one since Desi Dera has opened.

After a reassuring wait alongside the pleasing waft of chargrilling from the kitchen, our handsome platter was delivered.

Standouts were juicy and char-licked chicken wings, well-seasoned chicken seekh and meaty masala fish with a lightly spiced coating. Chicken tikka and lamb chops were both good too but I found them to be a little too salty – Mrs G, a sodium fiend, disagreed. Lamb seekh kebabs had good flavour but were a touch on the dry side.

Beneath all that grilled meat were excellent crisp fries and a mountain of buttery and fragrant lentil-flecked rice.

A pair of whopping naan breads were soft and crisp in all the right places.

Lentil dahl had a compelling meatiness and was a lovely sauce over the top of everything.

Stuffed, I doggy bagged up a meal’s worth of food to take home for my dinner the next day. With its well-priced and well-spiced cooking, we had a very tasty meal at Desi Dera. I hope they manage to find their niche in Cathays.

The Details

Address - Desi Dera, 101 Crwys Rd, Cardiff CF24 4NF

Telephone - 02922972785

Nefis Cafe, Cathays, Cardiff Turkish breakfast review

Ever since Cardiff Turkish breakfast trailblazers Longa opened their doors back in 2019, more and more cafes across the city have started to serve a similar offering.

As the saying goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

One spot dishing out a similar menu is Nefis Café on Cathays’ Crwys Road, whose strapline is a “Taste of Istanbul”.

Located on the former site of Stagg Coffee, Nefis’ expansive outdoor seating area and eclectic inside space make it a comfy spot for all of Wales’ climactic extremes.

On the menu are traditional Turkish breakfast dishes like menemen and sucuk with eggs, baked goods such as simit bagels and borek, and house specials like manti dumplings and hummus with slow cooked lamb.

However, it was the Nefis Turkish breakfast that caught my eye. For £12 you can choose a main from a selection of five dishes, accompanied by a selection of eight sides, bread and Turkish tea. On paper it’s extremely good value – unusually, even more so than the version for two people that costs £25.

Despite Nefis being pretty busy on a weekday lunchtime, my order arrived quickly. And what a looker it was with its ornate centrepiece surrounded by a bevy of treats.

The main event, kavurma and eggs saw scrambled eggs flecked with pieces of intensely flavoured and tender slow-cooked lamb scattered with palate warming chilli flakes.

A little light on seasoning, it really kicked up a gear when it combined with a smear of fragrant and spicy cemen, a harissa-esque red pepper paste that featured as one of the accompaniments.

A generous basket of soft-crumbed Turkish bread was an essential mop for the eggs and selection of sides. I intended to only eat half the basket, but my carb-grabbing reflex got the better of me and before I knew it I’d devoured the final piece.

Out of the eight sides, grilled halloumi and a puck of tangy cream cheese were the highlights. Sweet honey with a dollop of clotted cream was also lovely slathered over the bread to make a mini dessert.

The only real dud was a tepid hot dog in a bland tomatoey sauce. A dollop of jam was decent but light on fruit intensity.

A large glass of fragrant and sweet Turkish tea was a delicious drink.

When I’d just about polished everything off, a complimentary piece of crisp and sugar-soaked baklava arrived to bring a sweet conclusion to my meal.

I really enjoyed my Turkish breakfast at Nefis. Whilst it doesn’t quite hit the same highs as Longa’s version, it’s really excellent value for £12 all in. If you’re in the market for a Middle Eastern breakfast in Cardiff, then it’s well worth checking out.

The Details:

Address - Nefis Cafe, 83 Crwys Rd, Cardiff CF24 4NF

Web - https://nefiscardiff.co.uk/

Telephone - 020 3342 1106

The Three Horseshoes, Batcombe, Somerset pub review

Before a big evening meal, it's always important to have a light lunch to preserve your appetite.

With seven hours to go until my birthday blowout, we decided to pop in for a snack in the bar at the Three Horseshoes in Batcombe.

Things rapidly escalated...

Owned by Margot Henderson of Rochelle Canteen fame, the Three Horseshoes is an olde worlde Somerset pub with a chic edge that's currently ranked at number seven in the Top 50 Gastropubs list.

Their menu, which is scattered with offal and seasonal ingredients, is understandably of a similar ilk to Rochelle Canteen and St John.

Eyecatchers included fried pig’s head and ketchup (£12), grilled merguez with roast peppers (£23) and mutton, leek and wild garlic pie (£23). A smaller bar menu also offers dishes like devilled pig skin (£4) and a cheddar toastie (£9).

With one eye on our evening meal, we ordered a few dishes from both menus to share.

We both stuck to the Three Horseshoes' alcohol-free draught beer option – Wiper and True’s excellent Tomorrow lager. 

To start, a trio of crisp and peppery hot pink radishes (£13) were absolute whoppers. They were excellent dredged through salty and smoky whipped cod’s roe and the rich yolk of a duck egg.

A planetary scotch egg (£6) had its own gravitational field. The golden crumb, thick layer of juicy pork mince and a runny-yolked egg were all good. But its light seasoning meant it needed a bit of something something. Fortunately, a dollop of fiery English mustard solved the conundrum.

For main, we ordered a pair of big buns.

The first soft white bap was filled with crumbed white fish (£13), mixed leaves and creamy sauce gribiche. It was good but it lacked a punch of seasoning – perhaps a few more cornichons, capers or green herb in the sauce gribiche would have done the trick.

There were no issues with a salt beef bun (£13) that was stacked high with a slab of tender spiced meat, an ooze of Ogleshield cheese and the light acidity of pickled red cabbage. It was a belter of a sarnie.

Dessert saw the standout dish of the meal and the wheels really falling off my light lunch plans.

A trencherman’s portion of treacle tart (£11) combined thin, golden and crisp pastry and a soft toasty filling with a compelling kick of citrus. A dollop of clotted cream sealed the deal.

We had a delicious lunch at the Three Horseshoes and their refined, yet rustic seasonal cooking was right up my street. I’ll most definitely be going back for a more substantial meal next time we’re in the area.

P.S. in case you had any worries, of course my appetite returned in time for dinner.

The Details:

Address - The Three Horseshoes, Batcombe, Somerset BA4 6HE
Web - https://www.thethreehorseshoesbatcombe.co.uk/
Telephone - 01749 326147

Mr Villa's, Barry fish restaurant review

There’s nothing quite like eating fish and chips by the seaside.

They always taste that little bit better with the smell of saltwater hanging in the air and the sound of crashing waves somewhere in the background.

Perhaps it’s the perception, whether true or not, that the fish you’re eating must have been landed just that morning at the nearest harbourside.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll gladly eat fish and chips anywhere at any time of day. But it’s certainly a more romantic experience by the sea.

So, after a good yomp along the Wales Coastal Path from the Knap in Barry to Rhoose Point (the most southerly point in mainland Wales), Mrs G and I both craved fish for lunch.

Having been recommended Mr Villa’s, a fish restaurant located a stone’s throw from Cold Knap Beach, a few times over the last couple of years, it was finally time to get stuck-in.

Originally founded by husband-and-wife team Giuseppe and Christine Villa nearly ten years ago, the business has since been handed down to the next generation of the family after Mr and Mrs Villa sadly passed away.

With its blue and white striped linen, white wood-panelled walls and miscellanea of nauticalia, it’s a lovely setting with a classy seaside feel.

Mr Villa’s buy their fish fresh daily from Snowdon’s and Ashton’s in Cardiff and the owners’ children even forage for laverbread on the Gower.

Dishes on the main menu include roasted scallops, fritto misto and roasted hake as well as a daily changing specials board, which featured grilled plaice and a half lobster on our visit.

Glasses of well-chilled Cette Nuit Sauvignon Blanc (£8.95) and Dea del Mare Pinot Grigio Catarratto (£8.95) were both well-chilled crisp gluggers.

To start, a trio of roasted oysters (£11.75) varied wildly in size from the weeny to the gargantuan. However, they were all beautifully meaty and topped with garlic-charged breadcrumbs. A good squeeze of lemon juice really made them sing.

A rustic looking crab tart (£12.50) from the specials board combined commendably short pastry filled with a set custard dotted with earthy brown crustacean. It was good, but the crab would have benefited from being more uniformly distributed as some parts were a bit light on flavour. Well-dressed leaves served on the side were a good pairing.

Onto mains, and we were advised that they’re all accompanied by unlimited chips or boiled potatoes. That’s a challenge if ever I heard one. In reality, the portions were already so substantial that we didn’t need to take them up on the offer of a replenishment.

A well-sized meaty fillet of hake (£21.95) was coated in light, crisp and golden batter. It was a very nicely cooked piece of fish and batter, and it certainly scratched my itch.

I ordered mine with chips and was duly delivered a trough. Hand cut daily, they looked a touch pale but were pleasingly crisp and grease free.

They were excellent drenched in salt and vinegar and slathered in thick, gherkin-laced tartare sauce.

Having received the devastating news that Mr Villa’s don’t serve curry sauce, I had to make do with a very good bowl of mushy peas (£1.95), which I assume were homemade.

Mrs G’s roasted halibut (£28.50) from the specials board was the star of the meal. It’s one of the nicest bits of fish cookery that I’ve had in a while.

A pair of thick tranches of fish with good caramelisation were supremely meaty and bathed in a luxuriously glossy beurre blanc that was cut with just the right amount of citrus.

Tender boiled potatoes were sat in a generous pool of herbed melted butter. They were served in a smaller portion than the chips – perhaps because the team know that everyone really just wants to eat the fried stuff.

Nicely cooked green beans (£3.95) were also bathed in plenty melted garlic butter. But it was a shame that the flaked almonds they were topped with weren’t toasted for extra crunch and flavour.

We were both stuffed, so didn’t order dessert. However, if I was still hungry then I would have just ordered another bowl of chips.

We had a very good fish focused lunch by the seaside at Mr Villa’s accompanied by enthusiastic and friendly service.

Since Fish at 85 closed a long time ago, I’ve always missed having a dedicated fish restaurant in Cardiff. I needn’t have worried because Mr Villa’s is the place that I’ll be heading in future.

The Details:

Address -  Mr Villa's, 4 Bron-Y-Mor, Barry CF62 6SW

Web - https://www.facebook.com/mrvillas.barry/

Telephone - 01446 730662

Osip, Bruton, Somerset Michelin-starred restaurant review 2025

We last visited Osip at the end of January 2020.

Back then this farm-to-table restaurant, which is owned by the ridiculously talented Merlin Labron-Johnson, was based in the heart of the Somerset town of Bruton.

We had a brilliant meal of fiercely seasonal and technically accomplished cooking in their stylish yet understated dining room.

However, as with most fancy restaurants, we hadn’t returned.

Then Osip 2.0 launched last year, and its update brought plenty of shiny new features to draw me back.

Now located in a beautifully refurbished pub in the countryside near Bruton, it’s one of the most stylish restaurants I’ve ever visited. Its standout feature, a dramatic glass-walled open kitchen that offers a constant reminder of the restaurant’s proximity to the land where its produce comes from.

In recognition of Osip's upgrade, they've been named Good Food Guide's restaurant of the year 2025, regained their Michelin star, won a Green Michelin star, and been named in Conde Nast’s best new restaurants in the World 2025. Not bad going.

The food and service have most certainly kicked up a gear since our last visit with more intricate plating and a flurry of enthusiastic front of house staff keeping a good pace to our meal.

At dinner there are ten-course non-vegetarian (£125) and vegetarian tasting menus (£125) on offer and we both opted for the former.

Our first appetiser arrived with pre-dinner drinks in the beautiful earthy-toned bar area. A selection of crudités from Osip's farm set the tone for the meal. Radishes, kohlrabi and sweet mangetout were accompanied by nutty sesame cream and herb oil.

As the inevitable designated driver, I appreciated Osip's interesting alcohol-free drink selection. Whilst Mrs G knocked back a glass of Moussé Fils Champagne (£21), I had a vivid green apple and sorrel juice (£6) that cleverly balanced fruit and herb and sweet and savoury.

A few more appetisers followed in the dining room.

A vibrantly herbal lovage broth tasted both healthy and luxurious simultaneously.

It was served alongside an excellent sharing loaf of warm fermented potato brioche with a crisp golden crust and the softest of crumbs. It was delicious on its own but even butter smothered with creamy and lightly tangy kefir cream topped with a savoury leek tapenade and fried nettles.

We were easily upsold the drinks pairings. However, it’s hard to judge their value for money with five 75ml pours of wine costing £75 and five 75ml pours of soft drink costing £45.

The first two white wines were on the natural barnyardy cider end of the spectrum. Things got a lot more exciting with an Alsace grape we hadn’t encountered before, a Pinot d'Auxerrois. A Prieuré St Christophe Savoie red with plenty of fresh fruit and a light Jurançon dessert wine with bright acidity were also both excellent.

 

My non-alcoholic pairing was even more impressive. Highlights included a beetroot, black garlic and long pepper juice that accompanied the meat course and a pine, verjus and Malawian white tea that was served with dessert. Clearly a lot of consideration and effort had gone into every pairing.

Anyway, back to the food and a comforting spring taco continued the green theme of the previous courses. A soft corn tortilla was topped with a vibrant mole verde, smoked creme fraiche, nuggets of green asparagus and crunchy braised pumpkin seeds.

A cold assembly of meaty chalk stream trout pieces, runny quail eggs, crunchy piedmont hazelnuts and sweet young leeks looked pretty as a picture with its modesty hidden beneath sorrel leaves. It was very tasty but felt quite traditional compared to the rest of the meal.

A rolled courgette dish wasn't quite at the same level as the other things we ate. Whilst its garnish of compellingly smoky whey sauce, crunchy buckwheat and intense preserved lemon were all excellent, the vegetable centrepiece was slightly bland and a little too firm in the centre.

Things really took off with the fish course. A plump Orkney scallop was dressed in a luxuriously fragrant elderflower sabayon and topped with charred white asparagus.

Osip slaughters a pig a week and serves different cuts each night. We had the privilege of eating its loin and belly with a well-caramelised exterior, deep flavour and melting fat. It was served with a slice of superb Toulouse sausage, Tokyo turnip, and homemade mustard.

On the side, a rich pig’s head croquette was given freshness by wrapping it in lettuce and shiso leaf and garnishing it with a dice of fresh and acidic cucumber and hay baked apple.

We shared an optional cheese course and what a blinder it was - toasted malt loaf soaked in cider brandy was topped with a slice of funky and oozy Bath soft cheese. Based on the success of this dish I’m planning to toast some Soreen and serve it with Camembert.

The transition between sweet and savoury was deftly handled with a peppery and verdant rocket sorbet bathed in sharp gooseberry juice and distinctive pistachio oil.

Dessert, a showcase of honey from Osip’s own hives, was bloody brilliant. A warm honey tart, which combined burnt sugar, floral custard and the thinnest of pastry cases, was a wicked hybrid between a pastel de nata and a creme brûlée.

It was served alongside a scoop of cleansing crème fraiche ice cream, Italian meringue made with honey, and a drizzle of honey cut with the acidity of verjus.

After a reassuringly lengthy wait in the lounge, petit fours arrived. A warm madeleine with toasty sesame seeds (a birthday extra), zingy bergamot and earl grey pate de fruit, and a remarkably good Pump Street chocolate and blackcurrant jam macaron rounded off the meal.

We had a fabulous meal at Osip and its great to see its evolution to become a top tier destination restaurant whilst still retaining what made its original incarnation so special. I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if they get a second Michelin star to match their second version.

The Details:

Address - Osip, 25 Kingsettle Hill, Hardway, Bruton BA10 0LN
Web - https://osiprestaurant.com/

Telephone - 01749 987277