Mesen, Rhiwbina, Cardiff Sunday lunch review

I don’t think I’ve ever opened a review by talking about a restaurant’s cocktail selection.

But, then not every restaurant has a mixologist of the calibre of Matthew “Welly” Jones like Rhiwbina’s Mesen. The former general manager of Cardiff’s Lab 22 was part of the team when it was named best in the UK in the Top 50 Cocktail Bars in 2022 and won Best Cocktail Menu in The World’s 50 Best Bars in 2021. Not a bad CV then.

Welly has firmly put his stamp on Mesen’s cocktail menu with understated sounding creations like WKD Spritz, Old Fashioned, and Lowball. But, you can be assured that each one has its own twist, using ingredients like ash baked beetroot juice, pickled peach and toasted honey.

A stellar raspberry daiquiri (£11) was far removed from the saccharine red fruit slushy most places serve up. Combining rum, sweet and creamy cacao blanc, the sharp fragrance of raspberry and the added complexity of white miso, it was so good that Mrs G’s mum had one for starter and one for dessert. 

A fresh and fragrant gimlet (£11) was equally impressive. Combining gin and Lillet Blanc with the clever aroma of apricot and grape, it was extremely well balanced and dangerously gluggable.

But, enough about the cocktails… I should probably talk about Mesen’s food.

Since opening in 2023, Mesen (which means Acorn in Welsh) has built a strong reputation for its globally influenced flame cooking. Sharing dishes on their weekly changing blackboard include sweetbreads with turnip and prosciutto; prawn dumplings with rib broth; and padron peppers with blue cheese and panko crumb.

Their Mariachi band soundtrack, live fire cooking and Palace streetwear inspired merch, certainly brings something hip to the traditional suburb of Rhiwbina.

On a Sunday lunchtime, Mesen serves a compact menu of one starter, four mains and three desserts. When we visited, there was a choice of three meats for main, a T-bone steak for two to share (£70), pork belly (£35) and chicken (£27), all of which included the usual Sunday roast trimmings. 

A minor frustration, but it shouldn’t be impossible to track down a restaurant’s menu in advance of visiting. Whether it’s on the website or social media, it’s one of the main things that prospective customers are looking for… still at least I’m going to get some good blog traffic for people googling “Mesen Sunday lunch menu”.

We passed on starters in anticipation of hefty main course portions.

A T-bone steak was a handsome beast. We weren’t asked how we’d like it cooked but thankfully there was absolutely no need. 

Served a beautiful medium rare with a uniform pinkness throughout and a good salty crust, it was nicely beefy with a good tenderness. This was an excellent piece of meat and thankfully Mrs G and her mum had a few spare slices that I could pilfer. 

Two pieces of pork belly appeared generous, had excellent shatteringly crisp skin and deliciously juicy and tender flesh. But, around half of each piece of meat was comprised of fat, meaning that its value for money was certainly questionable in comparison to the whopping steak.

Sharing sides were very good, with a few real standouts.

Sweet roast carrots had a bang on amount of bite and were topped with a savoury flurry of cheese and sat in a pool of vivid pesto. They were excellent.

 A heaped plateful of roasties were commendably crisp and light and fluffy on the inside.

A large jug of steaming thick and meaty gravy ensured that there was no rationing required.

Cabbage had a nice lick of smoke; it was a good reminder that we were in a flame cookery restaurant.

Yorkshire puddings were crisp and soft, but I must admit that I rather craved their giant sharing version that I’ve seen doing the rounds online.

We washed it all down with glasses of a red fruit and liquorice twanged Negroamaro and Malvasia blend (£11 for 250ml) and coupes of prosecco (£8) before moving onto a pair of honeyed Cerons (£6.50) and Tokaji dessert wines (£9) to accompany dessert.

Oaty, salty and sweet hobnobs (£8) were lovely paired with creamy brie and a drizzle of truffle honey. It was a corking combination that I’ll certainly emulate at home.

Toasty, smooth and creamy Basque cheesecake (£8) was lush too. But it didn't need the accompanying dollop of creamy crème fraiche as it was better on its own.

We had a delicious and generous roast dinner at Mesen with very good service. However, whilst it’s hard to fault the value for money of such an excellent steak with sides for two for £70, I’m really not so sure about the pork.

Judging by the full house on a Sunday lunch, Mesen has clearly been embraced by the local community, and for good reason. I’d be very keen to go back for dinner to work my way through some of their more exciting dishes. Of course, I’ll be going ordering a clutch of their cocktails too.

The Details:

Address - Mesen, Heol-Y-Deri, Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6HF

Web - https://www.mesenrestaurant.com/

Ginger & Clove, Whitchurch Road, Cardiff Indian restaurant review

I’ve reviewed so many restaurants on Whitchurch Road lately that I should probably consider renaming my blog Gourmet Gabalfa.

Usually, after a few beers at the excellent Pop ‘n’ Hops, we’re craving a bite to eat and as a result we’ve recently visited Shiraz Grill, Stella Italia and now Ginger & Clove.

Ginger & Clove opened in January 2025 and it occupies the former site of Wildflower Kitchen and the Aegean Greek Taverna. It’s a lovely space with a colourful mural covering one wall and a third of the venue turned over to bar seating to try and encourage people to pop in for a drink.

The restaurant’s menu draws influences from across India but is mostly focused on southern India as that’s where the expertise of the chefs lies. With nine starters, and eight mains, Ginger & Clove’s menu is compact as far as Indian restaurants go. It’s a much more reassuring sight than 100 curries, all of which are made from the same base sauce.

Complimentary poppadum shards, chutneys and glasses of iced water were brought out as soon as we arrived. It’s the little touches like this which always endear a restaurant to me. Both the chutneys hit the mark - a sweet chilli number and a fragrant mint variety that also had a good oomph of chilli.

To start, gobi manchurian (£5.95) saw lightly battered florets of cauliflower coated in a sticky, spicy, sweet and savoury sauce flecked with garlic and onion. This was very good example of this dish, with the sizeable pieces of cauliflower still having plenty of texture.

It was a very good contrast to a Kerala beef fry (£6.95) with its earthy dry spicing and notes of toasted coconut. The impeccably tender nuggets of beef were lifted by a scattering of fragrant curry leaves and the zip of pickled onions.

For mains we showed a bit of restraint, relatively speaking, by ordering a main, side and bread to share.

A nadan chicken curry (£10.95) was billed on the menu as “included by popular demand”. Made to the owner Matthew’s recipe, I of course had to give such a hyped-up dish a go. Super tender bits of boneless chicken thigh were coated in a medium spiced thick and luxurious gravy with layers of spice, coconut and curry leaf. This was an excellent curry.

Its excess sauce was delicious drizzled over a vegetable thoran (£3.95) made with a fine dice of toothsome carrot and radish that was seasoned with mustard, coconut, curry leaf and crispy onion.

A table-topping triangular masala dosa (£7.99) was commendably thin and crisp and filled with comforting spiced potato. A bevy of accompaniments really made it sing. Fresh coconut chutney, a sweet and creamy tomato and onion chutney, and a velvety sambar flecked with carrot and stringy moringa beans, were all excellent.

We had a delicious and cracking value meal from Ginger & Clove with really friendly service. Despite strong competition in the local area, I hope this a restaurant that finds its niche. 

The Details:

Address - Ginger & Clove, 72-74 Whitchurch Road, Cardiff CF14 3LX

Website - https://www.instagram.com/gingerandclovecardiff/

Telephone - 029 2063 0708

Ember, Pontcanna, Cardiff restaurant review

I couldn’t ask for a better eating companion than Mrs G.

She’s normally up for trying any type of restaurant. She has no dietary requirements. I often get to finish her food when she’s admitted defeat. And she knows when I’ve got my sights set on visiting a new restaurant.

I’ve been pestering Mrs G to visit Ember ever since it opened in December 2024 but there hasn’t been a suitable time. And then she only went and arranged to visit without me in the middle of March.

Knowing that I’d have extreme FOMO if she went before me, Mrs G graciously agreed to visit Ember with me the week preceding her reservation. What a legend.

Located in the heart of Pontcanna’s Tom(my) Triangle, Ember is the new restaurant from Dave Killick, the long serving former head chef of The Heathcock, and Tommy Heaney.

If you’re a fan of The Heathcock then you’ll be familiar with Dave Killick’s big flavoured and refined takes on rustic Welsh cooking with the occasional Italian influence thrown in for good measure. It’s exactly this style of cookery which he’s brought over to Ember.

Located on the former site of Bully’s, the space has been given a stylish contemporary makeover with a hulking bar area and shelves dotted with jars of pickles and ferments.

Ember’s menu is a little tricky to navigate with sections dedicated to snacks, small plates, pasta, larger plates, and sides. Fortunately, there’s a chef’s selection available for £45 a head if it’s all a bit much and during weekday lunchtimes there's an excellent value three course set menu for £25. However, there were a bunch of dishes that I had my eye on, so we constructed our own feast.

A compact selection of wines by the glass were all very good. Mrs G kicked off with a glass of Charles Heidsieck champagne (£16.50) and I had a glass of super smashable Vinho Verde (£6.50). We then moved onto their reds by the glass, including a light and fruity Sicilian Merlot (£6.50) and big boi Tempranillo (£7.50) from Castilla y León.

A heaped plateful of warm, crusty and soft crumbed focaccia (£5) was a very good start indeed. It was accompanied by silky smooth whipped smoked cod’s roe pooled with a vibrant green herb oil.

We ordered a couple of small plates. A daily special of lamb meatballs (£10) delivered a big wallop of flavour and texture. Coarsely ground and deeply lamby mini meatballs were coated in a thick red wine sauce and paired with golden crumbed nuggets of polenta and a velvety Jerusalem artichoke puree. Zingy salsa verde provided welcome contrast to all that richness.

A whole Dover sole (£15) was a very good-sized bit of fish. Beautifully cooked so that it nudged off the bone with ease, it was topped with headily fragranced diced fresh oregano, crispy Jerusalem artichoke slices and a drizzle of olive oil.

Next up was the standout dish of the meal and it’s one that bore a striking resemblance to Killick’s signature rabbit pappardelle at the Heathcock. A generous pile of al dente fettuccine (£19) was tangled with stupidly tender shreds of milk braised pork shoulder that were twanged with a compelling hit of fennel. Toasted breadcrumbs provided lovely crunch whilst a tipi-esque garnish of pork scratchings were nice but a little too much hard work for my tooth fillings. It’s fair to say that I’d gladly visit Ember any day of the week just to try this dish and I hope it's a regular fixture on their menu.

Our large dish maintained the decadence that ran throughout the whole meal. Spoonably soft ox cheek (£24) coated in a thick meaty sauce was sat in a super savoury saffron fragranced risotto with just the right consistency and amount of bite to each grain of rice. A zesty gremolata brought some welcome levity to proceedings. Mrs G thought the seasoning was a touch high on this dish, but I thought it raised my blood pressure an acceptable amount.

On the side, was an absolute corker of a vegetable dish. Al dente tenderstem broccoli (£7) sat in a pool of warm and creamy ajo blanco and was topped with the crunch of toasted walnuts and fragrant and cleansing cubes of pear.

There’s no way I’m ever passing up rhubarb and custard (£10) if I see it on a restaurant menu and this was far more successful than the iteration I ate a few weeks ago. Beautifully poached batons of sharp, bright pink rhubarb were balanced by thick, vanilla scented custard and a wafer-thin toasty gingersnap biscuit.

Our last dish summed up the meal with its combination of excellent technique, big flavours and confident restraint. Dave Killick is undoubtedly one of Cardiff’s best chefs, but he quietly goes about his business so is far less of a household name than others. Therefore, it's great to see him take centre stage in this joint venture with Tommy Heaney.

Ember is another brilliant addition to Cardiff’s restaurant scene and it’s exactly the kind of place that I’d happily visit for a plate of pasta and a glass of wine any day of the week. Once again, I find myself saying that I’m jealous of Pontcanna’s wealth of top drawer dining options.

The Details:

Address - Ember, 5 Romilly Crescent, Pontcanna, Cardiff CF11 9NP

Web - https://www.embercardiff.co.uk/

Telephone - 029 2297 2274

Stella Italia, Cardiff Indo-Italian restaurant review

Back in 2021, when I wrote a review of Whitchurch Road’s Vivo Amigo, an enjoyable yet eyebrow raising Indo-Mexican fusion restaurant, I asserted that some culinary crossovers make a lot more sense than others.

Whilst Indo-Mexican food was just about understandable, I declared that Indo-Italian cooking was a step too far.

Fast forward to 2025, and the people behind Vivo Amigo have only gone and launched Stella Italia…an Indo-Italian restaurant.

Whilst my scepticism for Italian-Indian cuisine was only slightly diminished, my curiosity got the better of me and I of course had to check it out.

Located next door and interconnected to Vivo Amigo, Stella Italia’s name, signage and interior don’t give much away in terms of the fusion cuisine on offer. With its red-checked tablecloths and paintings of Venice, this could be any other Italian restaurant. Perhaps a name like Just like Naana used to make or The Gateway of Italy would provide a more obvious indication.

Stella Italia’s menu doesn’t go all in when it comes to fusion cooking either. Their starters and desserts are solely Italian, with familiar options including calamari fritti, sundried tomato arancini and tiramisu. When it comes to the drinks selection, however, draught Cobra and mango lassi provide a nod towards India.

It’s only with Stella Italia’s main dishes where the Indo-Italian fusion cooking is really unleashed. Whilst there’s a selection of classic pizza and pasta, Indo-Italian options include spaghetti mutter keema, penne butter chicken, and butter chicken curry calzone, which also comes filled with biryani.

To start, a trio of coarsely ground and loosely packed beef polpette (£6.50) were tender, honked nicely of garlic and were sat in a thick and fruity tomato sauce with a good grating of savoury parmesan. On the side, soft crumbed pieces of sourdough garlic bread were a lovely mop for all that sauce. This was a very tasty starter albeit the kind of thing you’d find in many Italian restaurants.

Onto the mains and I can only apologise that I that I didn’t order saag paneer spaghetti. That’s one step too far even for my usually adventurous palate.

However, Stella Italia’s Neapolitan style pizzas really are very good indeed. Made with slow-proofed sourdough, they have a thin base and a soft and airy crust. They’re certainly better than some from places I’ve visited who profess to serve authentic Italian pizzas.

Out of the two pizzas I tried across two visits, the Calicut beef (£12.95) was the definite winner. Plenty of hunks of deep-spiced slow-cooked beef combined well with the melted mozzarella, a dusting of parmesan, and a scattering of fragrant coriander and curry leaf. A drizzle of sriracha mayo added a nice extra hit of tangy spice but it was slightly unusual in the fact that it brought a third national cuisine into the mix.

A chilli paneer pizza (£12.95) was also very tasty but similar in flavour with its use of sriracha mayo, coriander and curry leaf. Arguably, it was less successful because of the cheese-on-cheese action, which meant it was richer yet less complex in flavour. Whilst the cubes of lightly spiced and sweet paneer were very tasty, I think they could have taken a bigger hit of spice. However, they did work very well with crisp mixed peppers and red onion slices that added to the chilli paneer vibe.

Gnoccho fritto (£4.95) were the most interesting sounding of the desserts on offer. However, the mound of dense miniature doughnuts were rather unlike the light and airy examples that I've eaten elsewhere. Still, at least they were crisp and grease free and lightly dusted with cinnamon sugar, drizzled with sweet chocolate sauce and accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

A cup of frothy, sweet, creamy and well-spiced masala chai (£2.95), however, was excellent. It’s worth popping in just for a cuppa if ever you fancy a brew.

I really enjoyed Stella Italia’s pizzas and their front of house team are excellent. Whilst Indo-Italian cuisine will still be eyebrow raising to many (including myself), I think perhaps Stella Italia has missed a trick by not leaning in even further into their fusion cooking. Why not throw the kitchen sink at it and serve starters like biryani arancini or masala spiced panelle with chutneys as well as desserts like chai spiced tiramisu or cardamom panna cotta? After all, I'd imagine a lot visitors are there because they're curious to try Indo-Italian food. 

The Details:

Address - Stella Italia, 136 Whitchurch Road, Cardiff CF14 3LZ

Telephone - 029 2297 2017

The Cook House, Ouseburn, Newcastle restaurant review

It’s a testament to how exciting I find a restaurant's cooking when I try and replicate the dishes that I've eaten at home.

After visiting Long Friday in Jesmond, I had a crack at making their cacio e pepe beans as soon as we got back to Cardiff.

Now, having visited their sister restaurant The Cook House in Ouseburn, I’m definitely going to have a bash at both the salad dishes we devoured.

Owned by cook, restaurateur and food writer Anna Hedworth, The Cook House stands out as a brooding black brick beacon in the middle of Newcastle’s Ouseburn Valley.

Their dining space is set over two floors, a subterranean bar area and a much brighter upstairs room where there you can watch the chefs at work in an open kitchen.

It’s no exaggeration to say that I wanted to order every dish on offer on their eclectic menu of small plates. I shed a tear that plates like pork, pistachio & sage terrine; beef shin ragu on sourdough toast; and ox tongue with English mustard aioli didn’t make the final edit.

The Cook House has an interesting selection of wines by the glass and even a couple on tap. We both started with some fizz, a minerally Albert di Conti pet nat blend of sauvignon and chenin blanc (£7.50) and a super dry L’archetipo Susumante (£8), both of which I’d class as enjoyably interesting rather than delicious. Much more successful was a glass of briochey Match Play champagne (£13) and a very gluggable Vina Albergada rioja (£5).

We kicked off with a belter of a snack – dinky warm and nutty pieces of rye bread (£8) were topped with super smooth and decadent chicken liver parfait that was punctuated by the fruity acidity of pickled cherries.

Our table was quickly covered with a procession of plates.

Lightly battered tempura cauliflower (£11) was just the right side of al dente and sat in a pool of comfortingly creamy coconut curry sauce.

A little pie (£12) really did live up to its billing, especially when considering the usual generosity of northern portions. Despite its diminutive size, it was excellent. A golden crisp crust (I think it must have been suet) had a soft-sided interior that was filled with tender shreds of spiced slow cooked lamb. The kicker was a thick courgette ketchup with a fiery punch of harissa.

A pair of salads were nothing short of brilliant.

Vibrant purple and slightly bitter radicchio leaves (£9) were topped with soft and sweet roasted grapes, crunchy and toasty roasted hazelnuts, and creamy and tangy whipped Elsdon goats’ milk cheese. It had a bit of everything going on – salt, sugar, acidity, creaminess and crunch.

 

Verdant spring greens (£9) were coated in a creamy and nutty tahini dressing that was punctuated by the fragrant acidity of blood orange and crunch of toasted seeds. It’s so nice to see salads on offer that aren't just composed of the usual suspects.

Finally, light and soft crumbed focaccia (£12) was topped with slices of tender fleshed, fat striped, spiced pastrami. Crème fraiche with a delicate kick of horseradish and sweet and zingy pickles added extra layers of flavour.

Rhubarb and custard tart (£9) is pretty much my dream dessert, so it was an essential order. A vision in pink, the combination of silky-smooth set custard and sweet and fragrant rhubarb in jelly were both great. However, the pastry case was disappointingly devoid of any crispness. Over the years of writing this blog, I think I’ve been let down by more soft-crusted tarts than anything else #FirstWorldProblems.

In contrast, Mrs G’s dessert hit the bullseye. A light and crisp meringue (£9) was topped with a bevy of treats – whipped cream with an extra note of complexity from the addition of fennel, sweet and zingy blood orange curd, slices of cleansing blood orange, and the crunch of pistachio.

We had a delicious lunch at the Cook House that was packed with interesting flavour combinations and textures. And, I don't think I've ever waxed lyrical so much about a pair of salads. My only minor quibble is over a few of the un-northern portion sizes - I guess it serves me right for not ordering more carbs. 

The Details:

Address - Cook House Foundry Lane Studios, Foundry Lane, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 1LH

Web - https://www.cookhouse.org/

Telephone - 0191 276 1093