For a trip to Cardiff, my wife and I treated ourselves to dinner at Heaney's, Romilly Crescent. It was Saturday evening, with a good atmosphere. (Night drew in over the course of the two hours). The service staff were kept busy more than busy - you could see they were up against it to get the multi course tasting menu in time to all the tables. The staff were never less than friendly, approachable and accommodating (particularly as I don't eat meat, apart from bivalves etc.) We were provided with a stack of cutlery for tasting menu (nice touch).
I had a glass of Mezza corona wine Pinot Grigio (light with a hint of pear, suitably versatile). We started with an oyster, complemented by cucumber and fermentation chilli for an Earth-and-Sea energy.
Next was Cheese & Onion: a little tart with black garlic, parmesan on top and a very rich, gooey, cheese filling. The pastry case was delightfully light.
Next we had Marmite sourdough. I went through a phase of eating Marmite with cheese toasties when I lived in Cardiff - so this really took me back. It was present with a cool wooden knife and marmite butter. The bread had a great crust.
Next was heritage tomato with pumpkin seed, flowers, goat's curd, and courgette spaghetti. This had a nice big hit of tomato. It was also served with a pleasant, herby gazpacho that altogether gave the dish a ratatouille vibe.
A more substantial course of Asian-style celeriac
noodles came next in a rich, dark-green sauce, with mini mushrooms. The noodles were thin
but robust, and took on the deep umami flavour of the sauce nicely.
A possible favourite of mine was the scallop-this had a caramelized crust, cooked through but not rubbery, served with a lovely, citrusy seaweed beurre Blanc, gorgeous. Peas and grape gave a nice dimension of sweetness.
The next course was courgette, butternut squash, and almond. This was kinda like a victory lap, using a number of components of other courses. (Asparagus had been on the menu, but I presume this was out of season during our hot summer).
The last savoury course was the most substantial. It was a celeriac pithivier, warm and hearty, with a nutty layer atop the celeriac and a beautful pastry crust.
Dessert was chocolate orange. This had a crisp, nobbly exterior, somewhat reminiscent of various chocolate bars one might pick up in the newsagents. The intertio had a choc mousse with a jammy blood orange filling (great.
Having finished my glass of wine, I also got a glass of Pedro Ximinez for dessert (there was a choice of two Pedros); this was syrupy with raisins. (Probably best for those with as strong a sweet tooth as I have).
We finished with an espresso and treats, (fudge, macaroon and strawberry pastille). Pastille had big hit of sweetness that reminded my wife of digging into a jar of jam, ho ho ho.
The menu at Heaney's is not cheap but is good value for what you're getting. The food is absolutely great.
