food / drink
DRAGON COURT CHINESE ***
Capital Retail Park , Leckwith , Cardiff . 029 2022 8866 Much like its inconspicuous setting next to Les Croupiers Casino in Leckwith ’ s Capital Retail Park , Dragon Court Chinese offers an unassuming menu which rejects the well-worn buffet-style Chinese dining formula in favour of a varied selection of adventurous dishes that refuse a reliance on traditional Chinese classics . Without a chicken chow mein in sight , choose your own live lobster from a nearby tank , or sample diver scallop in their shells with garlic and vermillion . There ’ s an abundance of meat dishes as well as a healthy selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes . The restaurant ’ s decor is fairly typical , but also comfortable and perfectly suited to large groups with big tables allowing plenty of space for sharing and socialising . For two people , the table setup isn ’ t ideal and not especially intimate , but the welcome is friendly and attentive with numerous staff members hovering in anticipation of our empty glasses . To start we opt for some excellent Hunan satay beef and Vietnamese spring rolls to satiate our early hunger . To follow , an intriguing Mongolian lamb dish completed a gluttonous three-starter selection . The crispy Mongolian lamb is neatly matched with a sticky plum sauce , spring onions and half an iceberg lettuce with which we were able to wrap all our ingredients into parcels to create a crisp and very refreshing starter to our own taste and arrangement . For mains we selected a Mandarin fillet of beef in an intense and rich “ fruity wine sauce ”. Although nicely cooked , for our taste it proved a little cloying toward the end . We also opted for a main of pan-fried pork fillet with lemongrass and spicy herbs . Refreshing and well cooked , the dish came with our choice of fried noodles and bean sprouts . Overall , Dragon Court provides filling , well-executed Chinese cuisine with enough variety and adventure to excite inquisitive palates . GARETH LUDKIN
ITALIGO ***
8 Church Street , Cardiff . www . italigo . com Open since April , and early enough that you can drop in and eat pasta or calzones for breakfast if you choose , Italigo ’ s more-or-less USP is ‘ Italian fast food ’. There are , I suspect , mental and / or cultural blocks that make this problematic for some . Italian cooking is ( stereotypically ) thought of as prizing slowness and patience , whereas you can pop in here and have your meal within five minutes . If you order a quicker pizza , you ’ re probably in a kebab house , and if you order quicker pasta , it probably went from your fridge to the microwave . Obviously , Italigo are attempting to up the ante somewhat , but how do they fare ? My two afternoon visits , both alone to affect the air of a high flyer on the go and definitely not because I have no friends , present me with nice untreated wooden decor and not very many other customers . From the pizza menu , I order a Tina – crispy pancetta , free range egg and rocket . It ’ s pretty good – the tomato sauce is substantial and tastes of actual tomatoes – and seems much less salty than the pepperoni one Buzz sampled previously , plus its base is crispy without tipping over into cream cracker consistency . Two days later I pop back for some pasta bolognese , on a ‘ by your basics shall ye be judged ’ tip . There ’ s nothing much wrong with it , apart from being somewhat stingy with the parmesan , but it ’ s where one ’ s Britishness kicks in , in that I keep thinking I could make this at home . It ’ s still better fast food than most of Cardiff city centre ’ s other options right now , though . Also , I can ’ t really review a can of fizzy pop , but I just want to give a shout out to lemon San Pellegrino . NOEL GARDNER pic : ROBERT HORNUNG
HEDLEY ’ S RESTAURANT ***
3-4 Bron-Y-Mor , The Knap , Barry . 01446 733398 Given the heatwave of late combined with a family celebration , we decided on a stroll to the local restaurant Hedley ’ s . Nestled in the idyllic setting of The Knap gardens ; opposite a lake and near the sea , the location is perfect . Hedley ’ s is known for its fish selection and BYO wine policy , which , as most restaurants drastically overprice their wine , is always a winner . Ioan and Prisillia , the team behind the restaurant , are bright , breezy and accommodating . Ioan is the chef and Prisillia front of house . Between the group of us , sea bass , steaks , lamb shank and sea bream were ordered with various sauces and side orders . All came with seasonal vegetables and a huge basket of bread . My sea bream was cooked well but unremarkable and the general consensus from the table was mixed : the lamb shank very good , the steak cooked to perfection and the fish , largely cooked well but a little bland . On each visit , and there have been a few , the food is generally OK to good , not spectacular but not dreadful . The main disappointment is the restaurant decor ; it ’ s in some serious need of upgrading and the ladies ’ toilets could do with a good clean . Inside the restaurant it ’ s drab and dated with varying degrees of beige and brown the main colour in abundance . It ’ s such a shame as an overhaul would give it a whole new lease of life . With so much choice now available , diners can pick and choose where to dine , and for such an idyllic spot , it needs to raise its game . ANTONIA LEVAY
BUZZ 30