La Cuina

Fantastic food. Lovely service. Upstairs dining air conditioned and cool ideal on a warm day.

This was a first visit to La Cuina and it lived up to my expectations in almost all areas. The food was authentically Catalan and rich in flavour, the only downside was the absence of sparkling water - an odd omission from an otherwise lovely restaurant. We started with Pa Amb Tomaquet, the Catalan bread smeared in tomatoes and olive oil, so typically Spanish and delicious. For starter my partner started with Salt Cod and Romesco, the cod was in a light delicious batter with tasty sauces. I opted for Artichoke and Pigs Trotters which were in a lovely cheese sauce. The artichoke heads were stuffed with the trotter meat - wonderful. We shared a plate of Padron Peppers alongside our dessert, these were as crisp and refreshing as one would expect. For Mains my partner had Beef Fillet with potatoes, cheese cake and shallot, the beef was cooked medium rare and the flavour was perfect. A bug success. I opted for the Costella de Porc with cabbage and potato, this lightly barbecued rib of pork had a juicy fatty flavour and was served on a bed of potatoes and cabbage with dried fruit and nuts which complemented the meat well. For dessert my partner had Chocolate Ganache with nougat, almonds and fruit, he loved it. I opted for the cheese selection, these were served at room temperature, as they should be, and each of the four cheeses had their own distinctive flavours, from the hard manchego to the delicious goat's cheese. We finished with a nice espresso. As I said earlier the only downside of the evening was the absence of sparkling water - apparently "the machine was broken". No offence folk, but there are two supermarkets within five minutes walk - so how hard would it be to give your customers a drink they want rather than the bland, tasteless still water that was the only available alternative - the absence of the sparkling water really spoilt what would otherwise have been a perfect meal.

Delicious, attentive and friendly service. Mountain lamb, pan Tomate with iberico ham, wild mushroom croquettes, and the anchovy starter were all delicious. The wine, roquers de porrera was complex and delicious, a steal at £55 for the bottle.

Amazing gem of Catalan cuisine in Cardiff, excellent selection of wines and the food is as good as any fancy restaurant in Catalonia, definitely recommended

I love this restaurant! Had a lovely lunch & bought a cookery book