The Caribbean Way, Cardiff Bay takeaway and restaurant review

*The Caribbean Way is now closed* 

A visit to the Caribbean Way on Dumballs Road allowed me to kill two birds with one stone.

Whilst waiting for my lunch to be prepped at this portakabin-based Caribbean restaurant and takeaway, I was able to stock up on groceries next door at the legendary Cardiff Food Centre.

During the twenty minutes it took for our food to be cooked to order I bought Middle Eastern dips, Lithuanian crisps and Indonesian instant noodles.

Anyway, I digress. Caribbean Way opens Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 6pm, offering breakfast until a rather late 1pm and lunch after 1pm. Their menu includes Caribbean classics like jerk chicken, oxtail, dumpling and fried plantain as well as quirkier dishes such as fried jackfruit wraps, salmon burgers and rasta pasta. 

On Fridays and Saturdays they exclusively serve heaving Insta-friendly combo boxes, with options including lobster (£27) and a meat feast (£15).

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Mrs G and I visited on a Tuesday lunchtime and put their regular lunch menu through its paces.

A fillet of jerk salmon (£8) was a lovely bit of fish cookery - meaty and tender of flake, crisp of skin and lightly licked with char, the fillet was bathed in a jerk marinade of fragrant spice and good chilli heat. Accompanying rice and peas, nicely twanged with coconut, was never-ending in portion size - there's no risk of being left hungry. Lightly creamy and acidic coleslaw provided a vital richness balancing role.

Jerk chicken on the bone (£7.50) could have been a touch juicier but it was still very tasty - coated in more of that big flavoured marinade, there was no shortage of flavour.

Mac ’n’ Cheese (£3) was of the variety you could cut with a knife (in a good way). Soft textured and very very lightly coated with cheese sauce, it was topped with a compelling crust of golden cheese.

Finally, golden tender fried plantains (£2) deftly straddled the sweet savoury divide. 

On another visit, I ordered a whopping portion of goat curry with rice and peas (£8). On the journey home, the warm-spiced gravy soaked its way through the rice, leaving the long-cooked super-tender pieces of meat dotted across the surface.

A slab of jam and coconut sponge (£2) was a retro school dinner treat; the light sponge was topped with sweet tangy jam and desiccated coconut. It was delicious cold but I’m sure would have been even better warmed up and served with a puddle of instant custard.

We really enjoyed the Caribbean Way. Their good value and hearty comfort food is right up my street.

The Details:

Address - The Caribbean Way, 1 Dumballs Rd, Cardiff CF10 5FF

Web - https://www.instagram.com/thecaribbean_way/

Telephone - 07925 890124

Milkwood, Pontcanna, Cardiff review 2020

When the world eventually returns to normality, Pontcanna’s Milkwood is going to find itself in a bit of a quandary.

This restaurant, which serves some of the most technically accomplished high end food in the city, has pivoted (PIVOOOT) towards a more takeaway friendly menu of burgers, sandwiches and pizzas.

As a result, they now also happen to serve one of the city’s best burgers and sandwiches, both of which can’t possibly be taken off the menu. 

Open Thursdays to Saturdays for takeaways and outdoor dining, Milkwood’s menu of small plates, pizzas and sandwiches is a compelling prospect. I was gutted my elasticated waistband didn’t have enough stretch to accommodate the ribs with slaw, ox cheek fries, buttermilk fried chicken parm and French dip. 

Mrs G and I sat in the cosy courtyard garden at the back of the restaurant with just a trio of socially distanced tables. We had the place to ourselves as we ate at our customary toddlers’ teatime of 5.30pm. 

A glass of fruity house white (£4) and a Warsteiner lager (£3.50) were both knocked back in a few gulps. 

Golden, super crisp and super fluffy salt cod fritters (£5) were well-flecked with salted fish. Serious aioli certainly lived up to its billing; it’s still lingering on the palate as I write this blog post. 

A Caesar salad (£6) was a fine example of its type. Fresh Romaine lettuce leaves were coated in the classic pokey dressing and topped with a snowdrift of funky pecorino and plump salty anchovies. 

Charred and blistered padrons (£4) were drizzled with a creamy and tangy buttermilk dressing and a good scattering of sea salt. 

Both our mains were absolute belters.

Their Cubano (£8) is an essential Cardiff sandwich. A crisp pressed soft-crumbed loaf was stuffed with fall apart tender hunks of pork belly and sliced ham and a good ooze of melted Swiss cheese. Cleansing pickles and warming American mustard provided vital balance.

The lynchpin of a house burger (£8) was a big-flavoured, seriously juicy and slightly pink dry aged Carmarthenshire beef patty. It was stuffed into a sturdy yet light potato roll and accompanied by shredded lettuce and red onion, cleansing pickle, a slick of American cheese and a secret sauce which tasted remarkably like that found in a Big Mac (I’d like the recipe please). 

This burger is instantly one of the city’s finest. 

A notable mention should also go to Milkwood’s double-cooked chips which are proper golden and crisp rustlers. 

Stuffed, I couldn’t possibly pass up on one of the house doughnuts (£3). Beautifully light and squidgy, a blackberry ripple was stuffed to the brim with berry-fragranced whipped cream. 

Mrs G and I had a cracking dinner at Milkwood and it was a lovely and relaxed first experience of eating out post lockdown. I’m already planning on working my way through the rest of those sandwiches.

Address - Milkwood, 83 Pontcanna Street, Pontcanna Cardiff CF11 9HS

Web - www.milkwoodcardiff.com

Telephone - 02920 232226