food / drink
CORRAN RESORT AND SPA ****
East Marsh , Laugharne . 01994 427417 / www . thecorran . com Set within bucolic marshland on the fringes of picturesque Laugharne , the recently refurbished Corran Resort And Spa has been lovingly brought back to life with a beautiful contemporary refit which does nothing to take away from the building ’ s original 16th century charm . Alongside its tempting offer of spa relaxation and long walks in the wilds of its surrounding countryside , The Corran ’ s restaurant is bright and inviting with a vintage conservatory feel and views across their walled garden . Settling down early in time for the start of service , I chose a light and bright smoked haddock mousse combined with crab meat and chilli . A fantastic side of coriander and lemon mayonnaise really helped the dish jump off the plate and tingle with flavour . The subtle chilli kick was tempered by the tang of the mayonnaise and the smoky flavour of the fish was in no way over powering or out of place . My main course swiftly followed , and if it ’ s true that we eat with our eyes , I was already finished and waiting for desert by the time I ’ d reached for my fork . I opted for the pan-seared duck breast – beautifully cooked and pink through – with a pomegranate and walnut sauce ( although this turned out to be less of a sauce and more like pomegranate with some walnuts ) and some perfectly cooked baked new potatoes and vegetables . Packed with simple flavours , but excellently executed , I thoroughly enjoyed the duck , although for me , the unsubtle sweet tartness of the pomegranate tended to jar with the meat and walnut combination . As with every other course , it was tricky to decide what to choose for dessert , but plumping for the chocolate torte , I was treated to beautifully crumbly pastry and deep chocolate flavourwhich made for a winning dessert and a perfect end to a very enjoyable meal . GARETH LUDKIN
GUILIANO ’ S ****
1 The Parade , Barry . 01446 733340 With its picturesque setting overlooking the gardens of the parade next to the old harbour in Barry , Guiliano ’ s Italian restaurant is in an idyllic location . On a sunny day , you could even be sat along the Amalfi coast ... well , almost . Having recently been refurbished with a sea and beach inspired decor – pale blue walls , wooden furniture , black and white prints of the bay – Guiliano ’ s offers inviting surroundings . The restaurant has obviously upped the ante , and so far they are clearly benefitting . We had an early sitting on a very busy Saturday , and despite being busy , our waiter didn ’ t rush us . To start we had garlic mushrooms and Parma ham with mozzarella , basil and tomatoes . For our mains we opted for sea bass with seasonal vegetables and a huge homemade lasagne which was huge . With all the food prepared fresh for every sitting , you can see the kitchen and the chefs busily cooking away at the back of the restaurant whilst the resulting smells waft through the restaurant . Guiliano ’ s is a family-run , intimate and very friendly little place , and the fact that it ’ s sat directly opposite a beach is another plus point . Perfect if you want to prolong that holiday feeling , the food is excellent , and the service is too . Although I found the wine a little bit pricey , Guiliano ’ s is well worth returning as you can expect a friendly welcome with some fantastic food . LANCE HARRISON
KATI WOK ***
53 Crwys Road , Cardiff . 029 2037 6222 / www . katiwok . co . uk Specialising in affordable , pan-Asian street food to take away or eat in , Kati Wok is a bright , lively and friendly restaurant-diner with a plentiful menu offering kati rolls , noodles and a range of homemade Asian-inspired sides . If you live in the Cathays area of Cardiff you ’ ll probably already have noticed Kati Wok simply from walking or driving past . Its lively interior design is certainly eyecatching , with its unique lime green and pink seating matching colourful collaged walls which depict a broad spectrum of Asian pop culture . Dining at Kati Wok is a relaxed affair with food simply boxed or wrapped and delivered on trays to your table . Kati rolls (£ 3.99 ) are at the core of the menu , and with diners simply needing to peel away a paper wrapper to reveal the filled wrap , they ’ re a sociable , relaxed and fun way to dine . A staple of street food cuisine in Kolkata , the kati roll utilises an Indian flatbread to contain all manner of fillings . We opted for a Nepali paneer and spinach kati alongside an Afgan chicken kati with a side of fried dumplings and a Malaysian chicken noodle dish to share . Both kati ’ s were stuffed full of flavour and filling , whilst a variety of hot , medium and mild sauces were on offer to add to our taste . The side of fried dumplings stood out as the overall winning dish of the evening ; their crisp outer layer concealing a flavoursome chicken dumpling with a punchy but light flavour . The Malaysian chicken noodles we shared were by no means remarkable and offered nothing new or obviously Malaysian , however , the dish was large in size , great value (£ 4.99 ), and the perfect takeaway grub for a hungry appetite . GARETH LUDKIN
BUZZ 40