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hand picked restaurants

A family-run restaurant with a comfortable setting and friendly service, Stefano's Ristorante Italiano is located on Romilly Crescent in Cardiff's bustling Pontcanna district. It also offers guests the option of dining al fresco on a heated patio.

A traditional Italian menu begins with starters of seared king scallops on a bed of sweet potato, garnished with crispy Parma ham and duck pâté with a hint of pistachio, served with orange and onion relish and toasted focaccia. Choices of pasta include tortelloni spinaci, handmade pasta parcels filled with spinach and ricotta cheese and drizzled with sage butter. Alternatively you could choose risotto capesante, a traditional dish of arborio rice with fresh scallops, sliced king prawns, white wine and roast garlic. Follow with substantial main course options of rack of lamb served with a mint and rosemary jus on a bed of creamed potato or wild Scottish venison in a red wine, onion and thyme sauce served on polenta mash with seasonal vegetables. Dessert of homemade tiramisu, mixed berry cheesecake or hazelnut chocolate profiterole will satisfy diners with a sweet tooth.
 
For something more elaborate, Stafano's also offers a tasting menu with a range of dishes for at least two diners.

Comfortable contemporary interiors with a minimalist oriental design enhance the dining experience at Thai Edge in the Old Brewery Quarter. Head chef Mit Jeensanthai brings with him recipes and techniques perfected through years of experience.

An extensive and comprehensive menu attempts to give guests an authentic Thai culinary experience. For an evening meal, they can dine on deep fried lobster with celery, ginger and spring onion, chicken green curry, king prawns with garlic and pepper, roast duck in a choo chee curry sauce, vegetable pad Thai and egg fried rice. The lunch menu includes grilled spare ribs marinated in herbs and spices, minced fish mixed with red curry paste, deep fried sweet corn cake with plum sauce, rice vermicelli salad with minced chicken, prawns, onions and coriander, and Singapore noodles. Seafood lovers and vegetarians can look forward to separate menus. Finish with a rich Irish cream liqueur parfait, mango with coconut flavoured sticky rice or a platter of fresh mixed seasonal fruit.

The lively La Tasca chain caters for parties, children's events and family gatherings in addition to anytime dining. These restaurants capture well the warm and vibrant spirit of Spain, and are best known for their tapas and traditional paellas.

Their star player is tapas, which can be had solo or in tandem with a meal. The calamares andaluza, deep-fried squid rings, served with roasted garlic mayonnaise and lemon, is great for sharing, while the chorizo frito al vino, spicy Spanish sausage flavoured with paprika, garlic and herbs, sautéed in red wine, offers a real treat. Chicken lovers order alitas de pollo, marinated chicken wings, or have skewers of chicken breast and pepper, marinated in paprika.

Valenciana is an interesting paella that combines seafood with chicken, and if you have a taste for trivia, you may be surprised to learn that 'la paella' actually refers to the utensil in which the dish is cooked.

Other than liqueurs and beer, there are wines from Spanish vineyards and sparkling cava. All of these, especially the dry rosé wines combine well with tapas. And you would be really getting into the spirit of things if you rounded off with the crema Catalana, traditional Spanish-style vanilla custard, topped with caramelised sugar.

La Tasca Spanish Tapas Restaurants and Bars today have over sixty outlets across the UK, so it is odds on there is a branch fairly close to your home.

A long established member of Cardiff's eating scene. Sister to the well known Le Monde restaurant, but with a more casual bistro feel. The terrace is a welcome addition to the restaurant in the summer and the new menu offers a range of salads, grills and snacks.

La France is alive and well in Wales. The basic idea is that you select your steak or items of seafood tastefully displayed on the slab and mosey across to the chef's department. They will either interpret your wishes or make suggestions of their own, and you can observe whilst they get on with the job. Dishes are therefore largely as you would have them.

A well-travelled wine list re-establishes the duties of the proprietor and house wine starts at £11.99. This is a good eating option at prices that almost anybody can afford; while the two course lunch at £7.95 is extremely good value.

For over 80 years Harry Ramsden's Restaurants have become synonymous with their famous fish and chips. Almost as well known are their mushy peas, a British favourite. This group offers great food whether in their restaurants or as take aways.

They also have regular, kids' and express menus to suit every palate. There are set meals in various combinations as well as a la carte fare to select from. Some popular dishes are fishy bites, parsley fishcakes, scampi portions and chicken nuggets. They also have sausages, beef and chicken burgers and sandwiches.

The dessert menu includes spotted dick, cheesecakes and pies. They also offer a list of beers white, sparkling and red wines, liqueurs and beverages. Known for their consistent quality, tasty meals and efficient services, Harry Ramsden's is considered one of the world's best known fish and chips restaurant chain.

Recently refurbished and occupying the location of the former Mimma's restaurant in the middle of Churchill Way, the Dizzy Llama is a stylish restaurant, Welsh owned and operated.  The menu maintains the backbone of an Italian restaurant with plenty of pizza and pasta options whilst bringing in a dash of Spanish cuisine in the form of tapas dishes.

Vine ripe tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil drizzled with olive oil and vinegar and a selection of cured meats, sausages and marinated antipasti vegetables help put your evening into top gear. To cruise you can select layers of mince beef Bolognese and béchamel oven baked between sheets of egg pasta and topped with cheese and 8oz of thick cut sirloin, grilled to your liking in a cream brandy and peppercorn sauce, served with rosemary roasted potatoes. To keep you company during the journey choose from a select list of wines, beers and ciders.

YO! Sushi Cardiff is a vital gastronomic experience rather than simply a place to eat sushi. This exciting and visually appealing Japanese delicacy, almost a cuisine in itself and going back to the 4th century BC, is fast rising in popularity for reasons of both taste and health, as well as its companionable setting. The restaurants offer a range of delectable nibbles that are attractively presented and revolve on a gently moving belt in front of customers, allowing them to sample a real wealth of varieties and eat just what they like best as often as they wish.

Contrary to many people's perception of sushi as raw fish, it comes in many forms drawing heavily on rice, fish, vegetables and seafood but the great variety arises chiefly from the different fillings and toppings, condiments, and the way these are combined. Often the same ingredients may be assembled in a traditional or a contemporary way, yet creating widely differing tastes.

Some of the most popular types are sashimi rolls, made from raw or seared slices of salmon and tuna and meant to be eaten within a couple of hours of being put together. Other options include cones of seaweed with rice and fillings and the little boat shaped parcels called gunkans. Miso soups, salads and nigiri sushi made of rice with toppings all add to its strong visual appeal.

Great beers like Asahi Super Dry and Sapporo support the food superbly, as well as hot and cold sake for those who want to sustain the Japanese experience. The menu also has non-alcoholic drinks and a limited list of wines and champagne. For dessert try the dorayaki, mochi or settle for fresh fruit.

The experience of having a meal at YO! Sushi is enriched by the unique array that appears as if by magic before the diner, with its unique colour coded pricing system. But the real pull is the fresh, healthy and tasty food that keeps people returning to their outlets across the UK.