I still think the dining room lovely, set in an old bank vault, and retaining some of the original fittings, it has great atmosphere. The frequently changing menu is Modern British, with occasional Italian or French touches and the encyclopaedic gin menu is also worth a mention, arranged into categories (dry, floral, fruity, spicy and so on) and paired with tonic suggestions, it is worth the visit alone. There are also a good selection of wines by the glass, although I found the Cabernet Sauvignon Villaraca disappointing.
The Sunday menu is £15 for 2 courses or £20 for 3. A starter of Truffled Welsh Rarebit was decent and has been on the menu more or less consistently since opening day.
The other starter of Fresh chorizo with char grilled squid & red pepper & rocket salad was a mixed bag. Excellent chorizo with sweet peppers but the squid had the rubber band twang of overcooked fish, the chunk of squid body pretty much inedible.
The burger, served with cheese and crispy bacon was served well done and excellent. Straightforward and unfussy as a burger should be.
It gets better, the Welsh Topside of Beef was an absolute stunner. Thick slices of very rare beef with horseradish, marbled with fat, a crisp puffy Yorkshire pudding and a jug of properly thickened gravy (I don't appreciate 'pan juices' on a roast, I need gravy that has seen a spoonful of flour). I ended up with enough veg to feed about 4 people. The roast potatoes were beautifully crispy and tasty, I suspect they might have been finished in the same fryer as the chips. A mix of carrots and cabbage, and a bowl of cauliflower cheese that had seen a grill finished the meal.
We ordered just the one dessert, a silky smooth lemon posset topped with raspberries, perfectly balanced between sweet and sharp.
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The bar that stocks 83% of the gin in Cardiff |
The Potted Pig
27 High Street (underneath Zizzi), Cardiff, CF10 1PU
029 2022 4817
Web: http://www.thepottedpig.com/
Twitter: @thepottedpig
