Yrs, you read that right… as my skydiving days are definitely a few decades ago! Funchal is all about looking up. Surrounded by mountains, with steep hills very much in evidence throughout the city itself, elevation is key to the whole experience.
For the fabulous tropical gardens of Monte or the botanical gardens of Jardim, there is only one way to travel…
And the payoff is every bit as high as the altitude…
The amount of climbing can be hungry and thirsty work. So, step forward the GalaxiaSkybar and restaurant in the Savoy Palace Hotel to maintain that elevated theme…
A la Carte fine dining comes with an elevated price tag… but limpetswithseaweed, babylambwithtrufflesandyam, and all sorts of local produce done with unique twists create the unique experience; and tunaandegg never tasted quite like this at Chez Juno in Cardiff!
Desert just needed to be an extra glass of a particularly fine Portuguese red wine from the vineyards of the Douro region. But caution is needed when taking in all you survey after a particularly fine meal with delicious wine…
Until we speak again, it’s back to the chill and gloom of late winter, tinged with the memories of a taste of summer in February (yes, I know it’s always summer in February in Australia!)…
In these days of dreadful corporate scandal, it’s good to have a positive post office story! [For any readers outside of the UK just Google ‘UK Post Office Scandal & Fujitsu‘, grab your popcorn, and settle in for a real life horror story!].
Meanwhile, back in the land of minor horror stories (i.e. Cardiff), a place where a good few fabulous old Victorian buildings are left to rot presumably until they fall down of their own accord… Listed Building or not! The former Head Post Office was completed in 1897 built in The Dutch Revival style. It ceased its function as a post office in 1983, briefly became a British Telecom hub for bureaucrats before those with great power and little imagination decided it should be left empty for 20+ years.
Now, as the Parkgate Hotel, a great building breathes new life; and another presumably ideal location for a bland office or multi-storey car park has thwarted the ideals of the town planners. [As a former town planner I say three cheers to that!].
Stepping off a damp Westgate Street into the reception area you’re greeted with a large and brightly lit welcome, at the centre of which is a modern chandelier. Well, I guess even the riches they robbed off poor innocent postmasters and postmistresses probably couldn’t stretch to restoring the original!
The restaurant off to the right side of the reception area is aptly named The Sorting Room in keeping with a previous use. Where’s the imagination? those downtrodden town planners yell at me! There’s always room for a nostalgic reflection of past uses, my dears; not everything has to be in pursuit of destroying historical reference!
But, as those innocent victims of corporate greed and institutional incompetence contemplate their years in bland cells, behind bars, pleading their innocence, what can us luckier mortals expect? Well, the spacious wood panelled room provides an excellent setting for sipping a nice Rioja while perusing the interesting menu. Not bread and water rationing for us, oh no!
Smoked Mediterranean Octopus and Penderyn Single Malt Welsh Whiskey Cured Salmon for starters. Former upstanding post office people might well be thinking what they can spend their viciously hard earned compensation on (if they lived to see it, that is). Well, a little bit of squid ink sponge, chorizo, tempura samphire, roasted garlic and herb oil will help the octopus to dance delicately across the taste buds. As for the salmon… Brecon vodka creme fraiche, deep fried avocado, pickled cucumber and a fresh mini loaf are set to tempt those beauties of the deep to swim back upstream into the catchments of emporia of fine dining.
Yes, my reader… if you’re of the pile it high and shovel it down (i.e. all-you-can-eat buffet) bent, look-away now. This is one of those strange places where large areas of porcelain (slate/wood/whatever the current fashion) are on show. This is where incredible flavours blend to satisfy exquisite tastes, leaving you more than fulfilled by the experience.
Good service can be identified by the time they allow between courses… though clearly not the length of time the post office/governments of the day/Fujitsu had in mind when torturing innocent workers who had dedicated their lives to serving their local communities.
So for the main event… I’m not sure what noises octopus and salmon make, but it was definitely time for an Oink & Quack show. Slow Cooked Pork Belly & Crackling and a Pan Roasted Garlic & Thyme British Chicken Breast would just have to offer up their sacrifices for this particular table… with a shared side of Thyme & Honey Roasted Root Vegetables… For the record, the belly pork arrived with toffee apple, smoked carrot puree, chorizo jam, sticky red cabbage, Pommes Anna, and Welsh cider sauce, and it was definitely slow cooked… but not as slow as the aforementioned post office employees would recognise as the definition of the word ‘slow’. The chicken had to make do with being brined in Welsh beer, with Tatws Pum Munud, confit onions, leek and bacon lardons, crispy chicken crackling, Welsh rarebit, confit chicken croquette, and Glamorgan ale jus.
Now, if you were left to rot in a jail cell for something you were entirely innocent of, just so those higher ups in society don’t lose a little face (or a few quid for their daily fine dining excursions), you might well be wondering how do they get all of this stuff onto the plate? Well, somehow they do, and even find room for the pan of gravy to reside by the awaiting nosh. Amazing!
Until we speak again, who needs the pan pipes to serenade away such a great dining experience when you can improvise your own instrument? Just don’t forget your humanity, and save the water and the mini loaf of bread for the poor unfortunates who had their whole lives stolen from them by a bunch of lying, cheating, disgraceful and despicable rich and entitled b*$t@*%s.
It’s not exactly the welcome you expect when splashing the cash on some quality nosh. But, if you happen to be splashing something else, you may just be rubbing shoulders with this guy…
The Guardian of the Gent’s surely isn’t meant to provide the highlight of a visit to Ivy Asia. After all, he is resting beyond the prying eyes of many visiting punters.
It may be borrowing on a famous name from London restaurant culture. It could even be a barely disguised financial trading up on the aforementioned cultural icon. But, the Ivy Asia is still a relatively recent addition to the Cardiff dining scene, adding some distant exotic colour to the supposedly bland indigenous cuisine.
And oh, what colour it adds…
Whilst disposable chop sticks greet you at the table, sunglasses may be a useful implement for aiding the dining experience. Talking of which… what is the dining experience? Essentially, Asia sums it up… a fusion of cuisines from across a sub-continent.
As a group of diners, we were trading up from our previous meetings over fry-ups in South WalesValleys caff culture! Here, the challenge is to make some sense of a menu written in English, but not necessarily the language we were more familiar with. Blindly sticking a pin in the menu to make a choice would probably be just as rewarding as trying to decifer the range of what was being offered.
Ultimately, we each went to seek guidance from the aforementioned Guardian… and then stuck a pin in the menu. For the record, we side-stepped the more exotic options to settle on vaguely familiar choices of SzechuanChicken, DuckSpringRolls, Beef & LambSkewers, and SteamedRice. And all were deliciously presented and in taste.
As it was a celebration brunch, my own phobia for desserts needed to be overcome. Passionfruitdonuts, and Lychee, Mango & Chocolate were instantly snapped up by the others. For me, something called TheGreenLantern sounded in keeping with the ambience of the place. If I told you what was in it, I’d be causing a stampede to the place…
Until we speak again, beware of strange men in unexpected places! At least remember the tried and trusted British welcome… whoareyou lookingat!
On a recent trip to Riga, I have to admit the write-ups about Latvian cuisine may have been on the up… but still not gripping my taste buds and demanding my undivided attention. Though the local darkbreads are dense but tasty enough to definitely be leaders in their particular league.
So, my very own personal guide to the city stepped in with a vote for Georgia. The name Alaverdi might be giving off an Italian vibe to the casual observer, but look a little closer and give yourself up to that ‘TasteofGeorgia‘ hint at what could be. We’re early, so plenty of choice of tables…
In my limited experience, Georgian red wines are hidden gems overshadowed by the European heavyweights bordering the Mediterranean. A glance at the wine menu here (see in the previous ‘Taste of Georgia’ link) lets you know you’re encountering a country with a serious approach to its falling over water!
So, where to start when it comes to the food? Khinkhali is the Georgian way of doing dumplings; and when they come filled with veal and lamb who could possibly refuse? The visual and textural presentation may be something you wipe your hands on after a particularly messy encounter with a seafood dish, but don’t be put off by first impressions. However, the Dolma with Duck with rice, greens and spices, supplemented by pomegranate seeds in a light spicy sauce… this was a dish that does wonderfully messy things with your mind, not with your hands! Suffice to say, when Donald met Dolma (that’s Donald Duck, not the orange fart in America version) the world became an altogether better place.
A main event to savour would be a difficult challenge for any chef after that dolma sensation of a starter. But, the idea of Beef Tenderloin Medallions with potato gratin and demi-glace sauce; well, that certainly provided the pomegranate bridge from the first course to the main, with a further wow factor baked in. The Pork Neck Shashlik on lavash with vegetable caviar, red onion and satsebeli sauce gave the whole event further depth and breadth befitting a new country’s cuisine to add to my taste bud travels.
This had already developed into a meal you don’t want to see ending. My trusty guide was in the mood for dessert… a cheesecake with a difference of stewed in red wine cherries, spices and caramelised pistachio with a few raspberries on the side as a nod to healthier times.
Me, I’m not habitually inclined towards the dessert section of any menu, so it was time to add a Riga essential to my local experience… a glass of Riga Black Balsam… not for the faint-hearted. No, that isn’t an extra glass of wine as dessert this time… It’s the national drink of Latvia, more of a 45% proof affair, purely imbibed for medicinal purposes, of course… a herbaceous floral thing, with a liquorice, lime, ginger, mix and no doubt a hefty kick. Like Coca Cola very few people know its exact recipe. Unlike Coca Cola it’s best used for an after meal digestif, rather than a toilet bowl cleaner!
Until we speak again, Georgia is definitely still on my mind. With this taste of some of what the country has to offer, it might well be under my feet sometime soon!
A restaurant 822 years in the making just has to be a special event. Step up Rozengrals (The Rose Grail), in a building circa 1201, but can it produce a meal fit for a very discerning Russianprincess?
Authenticity counts for something when claiming such heritage. So, traditional dress helps to put the welcome into context.
The wine list is fortunately quite spare and unappealing. This is just as well because this setting seems to call out for a honeybeer… even for a princess, it seems! By the way, the cloth comes as a vessel for presenting mini bread roles… as is the custom in times gone by, no doubt. Fortunately, the eating irons are already present in a pot, or else I was going to start flexing my fingers.
The menu is rather simply stated… more focused on describing historical stories than culinary information. As if we’re not concerned with what we’re eating as long as it was enjoyed by some noble gent a few hundred years ago! However, it’s suitably presented in a format that implies you’re partaking of a little bit of history.
Salad starters don’t ring true in my recollection of medieval banquets, but I don’t fancy leaving here having to be winched back up the stairs. The honeybakedbeetandgoatcheesesalad was a delicate balance of tart and sweet flavours that tempted more quaffing of the beer. The poultryliverwithbaconandalmondsalad hinted more of times gone by… further back than yesterday, that is…
It’s quite possible that the cost of food here includes a candle tax, as there is no discernable electricity generated light. This creates a great atmosphere, and fear not, it’s not so you can’t see what you’re eating so well! Our choice of main dishes spread our interests across surf and turf. Ovenbakedseabass and a rabbitstewwithprunes and cedarnuts.
I can certainly vouch for the bunny having lived a satisfied and fulfilling life by the greater quantity of meat falling off bone than my previous pursuit of these animals/pets/cartoon favourites. As for the fish, it was ably dissected and devoured by my partner in these historic crime recreations we happened to be enjoying.
Until we speak again, a candlelit washroom visit brought back other historic nightmares… particularly of power blackouts as a kid in the 1970s.
What do you do to celebrate a 40-year friendship to quell those fearful thoughts of “where the hell did that time go?” Perhaps by trying somewhere that’s not even 40 days old! The Sultan, down the docks, or Cardiff Bay as it’s corporately known these days, may provide that solution.
They seem to have discovered an interesting way of wooing customers in these early days. Free Turkishbread sets the tone, and while they seek a license to sell alcohol complementary glasses of house red and white wine are more than welcome.
Sampling the wine meant we didn’t hear the option of starters first, so we ended up with that Mediterranean meze experience of everything at the same time!
The friedhalloumiwithfigjam was perfectly textured. The babaganoush was perfectly balanced to allow the aubergine taste not to be overwhelmed. The Lokum was a perfect blend of slices of filletsteak andmashedpotato with a CafedeParis sauce… what a sublime dish it was to, topped off with redkapiapepper. As for the asparagus, it was perfectly crunchy. Such was the delightfully presented array of tasty temptations the VegPide ended up as a perfect doggy bag takeaway!
The freebies hadn’t finished either with a complementary glass of Turkishtea to help the digesting of a real treat of a meal.
Until we speak again, this was a meal 40 years in the waiting. Don’t copy us, go now while they are bookending your meal with the complementaries!
Once upon a time in Patagonia, some Welsh folk settled many thousands of miles from home. It must have taken them some time to get there. But, come on, cariad, why did it take over 150 years to send the indigenous produce back to the homeland?
Whisper it quietly… you don’t really need a tri-walker and walking stick for rounding up prime steer along this part of TheHayes in Cardiff. A restaurant booking will now do the trick nicely…
I guess some meals are designed for the outdoors in sunshine. But, come on, this is the centre of Cardiff, not the Mediterranean! Even in nearly record-breaking September sunshine, a serious meal in Cardiff requires some dimming of the light, a darker backdrop to provide the right atmosphere…
So much for the hype of a new dynamic eating place arriving in the city (albeit more than 20 years after London), show us what you’ve got to offer Argentina.
Well, for one thing, the menu is reasonably small… something regulars to this blog will know I count as a positive characteristic… hopefully equating to focus and quality. Me, I can’t resist an indigenous starter dish of empanadas, this choice filled with Wagyu beef. These knock Cornish pasties into a cocked hat. Crispy pastry surrounds tangy flavoured melt in the mouth textured beef.
So far… excellent! Then came the test of a good or a not so good restaurant. It may be the first week of official opening to us ordinary punters… but even a really good restaurant doesn’t have to get everything perfect immediately. It’s how they respond when they get it wrong that counts.
Because the starters were that good we took quite some time tasting and discussing the experience. Perhaps the kitchen didn’t get the memo… don’t prepare the main course until the punters are ready!! So, semi-cold steaks and tepid chips arrived the second we were putting the starter cutlery down. Sorry hombre, this place isn’t even your average price… so expectations of quality are high.
With little or no fuss, the staff apologised for the error and promised to prepare the whole meal from fresh immediately. What is more, they recognised we had a little extra time to wait, and our bottle of fabulous Malbec was fast emptying. So, again without fuss, a second bottle was brought to our table… on the house! Strange how the same fabulous wine tastes even better when it’s free…
When the freshly cooked fillet steaks arrived the wait was definitely worth the time spent sipping at that smooth velvety wine. Yes, the plates look big. But, these are the usual 225g steaks. Here they also have to accommodate the 400g steak punters. People for whom one meal needs to last heaven knows how long. Gaucho’s are out on the range long hours, for all I know. As for me, you can keep your horseback-bull-lassoing affair, I’ll take 225g of Argentina’s finest and definitely come back for more another time…
Until we speak again, a certain blog site informed me that Juno’s View is 10 years old this very week! That free bottle of Malbec served a more than satisfying purpose after all.
Something is tickling the gastronomic funny bone in the heart of Cardiff city centre. Among the newer eateries the UK chain of Giggling Squid has arrived in these parts. The Hayes has a long tradition as one of Cardiff’s less spectacular shopping thoroughfares. But, of late, it’s gradually developing into the location for a number of interesting eateries.
[Well… Giovannis has been serving Italian foodies in ultra cramped conditions since 1983. The Ivy has been ripping off customers with its chain trading off a London original for a few years. And The Ivy Asia has been overloading the visual senses and underwhelming the quality of service for slightly less time. But Wahaca is worth more than one visit!]… other views may be accessed… somewhere else!
The kids can enjoy their hanging out in groups around the cheaper joints inside the St Davids Centre (just like pretty much every other shopping mall on Planet Consumerism). Meanwhile, on the outside this is where the grown-ups get to play.
And so it was that an impromptu family get together provided a great opportunity to go Thai, well… not exactly! For lovers of Thai food Giggling Squid has a satisfying proportion of the menu taken up with what might be thought of as traditional Thai food. But, for those of us that like our traditions to also provide a twist or two this is definitely one of those places to visit.
Don’t be put off by first appearances… this starter dish, if found along the footpaths by the local canal, might well resemble something you’d try to avoid stepping in! But… [drum roll needed here] the Crispy Slow Cooked Beef was beautifully tender on the inside, as the title would suggest. But, it’s also been finished off by a flame-thrower of sorts that give the outside a delightfully crispy edge. Served with a Thai salad of star fruit, coriander, carrot, jicama, lemongrass and dill, this was a burst of wonderful flavours to far exceed the ‘mess on a plate’ visual vibe.
Having recently been to another local favourite… The Potted Pig… I’m still wallowing in a state of admiration for what supreme sacrifice pigs give of their lives. So, oink oink Thai style was a clear attraction. The Chubby Cheek Pork was mouth watering++. Apparently, it’s soaked in ginger root, black pepper, and palm sugar, then slow cooked to sweet, tender perfection. That’s what they say on the menu, and I’m not going to argue with the chef on that one. Coconut Rice with a side of Tamarind Mushrooms & Greens ensured there would be no space for any deserts on this occasion. I appreciate some of you reading this post will be flabbergasted by such a sentiment, but a very drinkable Argentinian Malbec ensured that all other gastronomic requirements were admirably met!
Until we speak again, that Malbec serves as a tempter to the next stage in the development of The Hayes as a gastronomic centre of the city… here comes Gaucho… check out the next post for all things Argentinian as the world of nosh continues to thrive in Cardiff.
It’s the first weekend in July, so it must be time for a Cardiff Bay favourite…. the Cardiff International Food Festival (2023). The layout and lineup look very familiar and have been documented here before.
But, this time, I discovered it’s worth taking an early Sunday morning stroll before the festival opens up. Something ‘down the docks’ seems worth being aware of every weekend.
On the short pier that housed the Bosphoros Turkish restaurant many years ago, Coffee Co. has been quietly building an interesting presence in recent years. Now, I can add a recommendation for a hearty breakfast to accompany your cappuccino… while of course reading the Observer newspaper!
Until we speak again, a stroll back along the Dock feeder canal suggests the future is truly aromatic and crispy!
Jay Rayner once said… no, he’s definitely not the subject of the title. As the UK’s eminent restaurant critic, he often cited Cardiff as a place not to go to if you were in search of a fine dining experience.
Now, on the other hand, if you’re in search of chips, chains, and generally loading up for the alcoholic blowout… well, look no further!
But… he used to have one exception to the rule…
Located down in an old bank vault…
Well, who needs windows when the focus of your attention is on the vision of beauty laid out in front of you? Particularly when a great RiojaReserva is ready to whet your whistle… accompanied by a BlackPepperGnocchiwithTrufflesand Mushroom Sauce?
Forget looking out on the street… concentrate on that delicate suite of flavours that are performing a friendly assault on your taste buds. Sip some water, my friend, and clear your palate for further seduction.
Got the crabs? Never quite like the way this Italian influenced delight on the far side of that table will tickle places you didn’t expect to be disturbed. The Squid Ink & Brown Crab Ravioli is guaranteed to satisfy everything you’ve brought along for tantalising…
But wait… what’s that at the forefront of the picture? A pig that looks so much better in death than it ever did in life! Why, this is one porcine that lived a life determined to provide ultimate pleasure for its human recipient (and we’re not talking former UK Prime Ministers here!). 😉
Roastporkbelly, pig cheek, crackling that simply cracks with delight, and the ultimate in all-meat sausage action… quite the climactic experience. A dish to leave you snorting… maybe!
Until we speak again, The PottedPig provides that rare moment of tasting a few items on a short menu, but leaving you instantly wanting to try every other dish… just in case you’ve missed another of the ultimate experiences of joy.
JUNO's VIEW 