Brother Thai, Cardiff restaurant review

Whenever we’ve walk past Brother Thai after a session on the craft beers at Pop ‘n’ Hops, it’s always been packed to the rafters. And on the couple of times we’ve tried to get a walk-in table, it’s been a fruitless endeavour.

But, on a sunny Friday night, and with Brother Thai’s compact back garden open for business, we were in luck.

One of the OGs of south Wales’s street food scene, Brother Thai’s non-traditional Thai cooking has built up a legion of fans over the last decade. It’s clear they’ve been just as popular since they made the transition to bricks and mortar in 2021.

Understandably, Brother Thai’s restaurant menu is more expansive than their festival offering. As well as their signature filled rotis, on offer there are rice bowls, a clutch of small plates and even a couple of desserts.

A pair of cocktails were both summery gluggers – a Rum Aroi (£9.50) combined spiced rum, sweet amaretto and a zip of citrus, whilst a Watermelon Wat (£4.60) saw ginger ale spiked with watermelon and lemon.

First to arrive was excellent Thai fried chicken (£8.50). With a super crisp yet thin spiced crumb and impressively juicy flesh, the pair of deboned thighs were liberally drizzled with spicy sriracha and balancing sriracha mayo.

Brother Thai’s sticky beef roti (£9) was always an essential order at street food festivals and here it was as compelling as ever. The crisp, flaky and buttery folded paratha was packed to the edges with tender pieces of big-flavoured beef coated in a rich, sticky and savoury spiced sauce which was reminiscent of rendang. Delicately pickled cucumber and red onion provided acidity and coriander leaves delivered an extra pop of fragrance.

A pad krapao rice bowl (£12) was Mrs G’s favourite dish of the night. The deeply savoury stir fry of tender chicken, green beans and chilli was heady with the aroma of holy basil. Jasmine rice and a frilly edged fried egg were excellent accompaniments.

Last up was a plate of deep-fried mushrooms (£8.50) masquerading as a laab salad. Heaps of fragrant coriander and mint, a good kick of chilli and a citrusy zing, made this a lovely vegan take on the classic meat salad.

It’s easy to see why we’ve found walk-ins so hard to come by at Brother Thai because their huge flavoured Thai street food is a real crowd pleaser. Next time we need to visit on a Sunday when they serve a rather delicious looking khao soi special.

The details:

Address - Brother Thai, 35 Whitchurch Rd, Cardiff CF14 3JN

Web - https://www.brotherthai.co.uk/

Telephone - 029 2063 4834

Coombeshead Farm, Cornwall restaurant review

I can’t think of a restaurant I’ve visited where the connection between produce and plate is as strong as Cornwall's Coombeshead Farm.

Before dinner we strolled around the grounds where we saw curly-haired mangalitza pigs dozing in the woodland, a scarecrow protecting its valuable rows of crops, and the bakery where they make their famous sourdough.

And then we took our seats at their restaurant, which is located in one of the farmhouse's converted outbuildings, and were afforded front row seats at the pass where all that beautifully seasonal produce is served up.

Owned by Pitt Cue's co-founder Tom Adams and New York-based chef April Bloomfield, Coombeshead Farm serves a four course set sharing menu (£45) with the option of adding extra snacks and cheese. Of course, we ordered everything on offer and washed it down with some delicious booze including sparkling wine from Castlewood Vineyard in Devon, Deya pale ales, and both a Jurancon Sec and Jurancon dessert wine.

Having seen the mangalitzas just before dinner, its ham (£12.50) was the first thing we ate. And what ham it was - rich in flavour and glossy with fat that melted on the tongue.

Sails of crispy kale (£7) were dotted with sweet and savoury miso and a flurry of savoury Berkswell cheese.

Lightly peppery radishes (£6.50) were accompanied by a hazelnut butter made solely from nuts and radish tops - it was a very tasty and fresh condiment but it could arguably have delivered a bigger hit of flavour.

Onto the first course of the set menu and that mangalitza reared its snout again in the form of a superb coarse pate with a deep porkiness that was topped with a pesto-esque condiment of crunchy walnuts and wild garlic.

Tender asparagus spears were sat in a thick and creamy buttermilk dressing which sang with fresh mint.

They were accompanied by thick hunks of Coombeshead's famous sourdough, soft of crumb and a little toasty of crust, which was slathered with golden butter. I can see why they sell hundreds of loaves a day and it appears on the menu at restaurants in London.

More pig followed for our mains and it's fair to say it was one of the best bits of pork I’ve ever eaten.

A giant hunk of Middle-white Mangalitza crossbreed pork shoulder, which had been slow-cooked in milk, had the richness and spoonable tenderness of a piece of red meat like lamb shank or ox cheek. That creamy milk sauce was enriched with meat juices and cut with the dryness of white wine and fragrance of dill - I licked every drop from the bowl.

The pork was topped with a vibrant mix of snap pea, chard and asparagus dressed with a punchy salsa verde whilst a bowl of lightly dressed leaves were dotted with crunchy almonds. They both provided welcome balance to the richness of the pork.

Dessert was an assemblage of tasty things. Rhubarb and haskap (a bit like a tart elongated blueberry) compote, buttery hazelnut crunch and silky creme diplomat scented with blackcurrant leaves were all bob on. However, a few of our mates thought it was a bit too breakfasty.

Oozy and pungent Yarlington cheese (£7) was dwarfed by superb crackers with a compelling caramelised note, reminiscent of a savoury waffle cone.

We had a super dinner at Coombeshead Farm. With its farm to table ethos, rustic cooking elevated with first class technique, and warm and relaxed atmosphere, it most certainly lives up to its reputation.

The next morning, our friends, who stayed at the farm overnight, sent us pictures of their breakfast feast featuring hot smoked beef sausage, courgette piccalilli, and a selection of stonking looking baked goods. I'll most certainly be returning to Coombeshead Farm and next time I'm checking in for the night.

The Details:

Address - Coombeshead Farm, Lewannick, Launceston PL15 7QQ

Web - https://coombesheadfarm.co.uk/

Telephone - 01566 782009