Cardiff, Wales restaurants

I have been lecturing in Cardiff, Wales (Cymru, to you - pronounced Come-ree) in preparation for two days in London where I will dine at St. Johns, Gordon Ramsay, and the Fat Duck.

Cardiff is not the best dining city in the best dining country, but I do have two recommendations to make: Patagonia and Le Gallois. Neither qualify as major restaurants, but both have some ambition and some success (both are located a bit away from the downtown/Castle area of Cardiff) in Canton.

At Patagonia I had a superb appetizer of "Sweet Spanish piquillo peppers stuffed with smoked eel, celeriac scented with truffle oil, and sherry reduction." It was both startling and a surprising blend of garden and sea. It has been the single best dish since my arrival. My main course, a duck dish (it was a week ago and I didn't make notes) was good, but a step down from the appetizer. (I learned to my surprise that many Welsh migrants had settled in Patagonia). I don't think that Chef Joaquin Humaran is Welsh, but has made Cardiff home.

Le Gallois reflects a modern French cuisine, but with a preference for local Welsh ingrediants. Chef Padig Jones is Welsh. My main course, "Pot Roasted Pig Cheeks with Truffle Mashed Potatoes, Baby Vegetables, and Clove and Honey Pot Sauce" was excellent - both hearty and surprising (think a well-made pot roast with the exotic backtaste of cloves). My starter, Wild Mushroom and Truffle Risotto was nicely prepared and contained generous pieces of truffle.

Service was superior at Patagonia, but Le Gallois is more stylish.

I do not recommend Laguna in the City Center area.

Patagonia
11 Kings Road
Cardiff
029-2019-0265

Le Gallois
6-10 Romilly Crescent
Cardiff
029-2034-1264