Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

Signor Valentino is the latest flagship restaurant in Babak Arabestani's expanding chain, and has introduced a refreshing dining experience to the waterside area.

As with all his other restaurants, Signor Valentino has been designed by Babak himself; it has been described as cool, chic with contemporary Italian cuisine. With an open plan kitchen, American oak flooring, original modernistic paintings complimented by marble and glass, this new eatery has already developed its own "community" of regular diners.

The clean lines and fresh modern interior creates a fashionable feel, which is perfectly complemented by the informal and friendly service provided. With a glass frontage that opens up in the summer months to allow for dining 'al fresco', you can be forgiven for feeling like you really have escaped to Italy.

Part of a very smart new development, and housed in what is known as the J shed, an incredible listed building on the Kings Road in Swansea. The interior is richly decorated, cunningly lit and generally conducive to a good night out.

Although the menu is authentic Italian it has not stopped Head Chef John Robbin from calling upon some of the more traditional local ingredients and dishes, including the celebrated lava bread served with cockles. Fresh produce includes snapper in rock salt, baby milk lamb chops, and baby suckling pig.

All told just short of 300 people can find space to eat and drink and a busy future is forecast for this trendy night spot.

Across their locations in South Wales, the Juboraj group of restaurants excel in providing impeccable Bangladeshi and Indian food to their faithful and increasing clientele. Each restaurant is decorated in an individualistic style and the themes range from opulence to laidback informality while the atmosphere is one where you can relax and indulge in delicious food. Birthday parties, anniversaries, receptions and other such functions are perfect excuses to try out the lovely ambience and tasty food at Juboraj, but even if there's no reason to celebrate, a visit there is welcome.

Start out with a kebab platter, chicken and lamb tikka with sheek kabab, served with onions and green peppers to tantalise your taste buds before moving on to a main course of whole breast of tender duckling gently cooked in light spices, honey and lime juice. The pistachio kulfi, delicately flavoured Indian ice cream is exquisite and is the perfect way to end the meal, along with some chilled imported beers or fine wines to lend you company.

It is refreshing to find a major city hotel showing awareness of the fact that international cuisine is not necessarily an essential feature of their facilities, concentrating instead on producing traditional food and service within an informal atmosphere. This has also enabled them to produce a wide range of very recognisable and acceptable dishes amongst which you might find a meal of red mullet and saffron broth, followed by loin of Welsh lamb marinated in Asian spices. All this is done in great style but without any pomp and in such a way that you can actually feel at ease. There is a distinguished wine list with what are known as 'good value' wines (same thing) in place of the house, at £13.50 for both red and white.

For the lucky residents of Cardiff, Punitha's represents not just any Indian restaurant but an exclusive gourmet experience which is considered by many to be the epitome of fine South Indian dining in South Wales. The decor does away with the reds and oranges you can typically spot in curry houses and instead sports a refreshing combination of white and deep blue which is restful as well as sophisticated. Spices as well as chefs are imported directly from South India, so authenticity is never in question.

Amongst starters, you could try the chicken lollipops, wings marinated in garam masala and yoghurt and fried with corn flour before moving on to a main course of hot and spicy Chettinadu mutton curry with freshly ground chillies, coriander, fennel and coconut.  Finish the meal with payasam, a warm South Indian dessert made from sago, cashew nuts and milk. Wines on Punitha's list complement the food perfectly while the range of cocktails is exciting.

A comprehensive renovation gives a well known local watering hole a new lease of life. While old timers can continue to enjoy the Rock and Fountain they have known, in addition to the new all-round dining experience that the attached Riverside Restaurant in Woodfieldside offers with its gourmet food, oak and leather ambience and conservatory dining area. This aesthetically pleasing restaurant also caters to meetings and conferences of up to 50 people at a time.

Running an eye down the à la carte menu one finds such dishes as oak smoked haddock with horseradish tartlet, deep fried breaded Pantysgawn goat?s cheese with watercress salad, pan fried rump of lamb with roasted potatoes and shallots in a red currant gravy and fillet of local salmon on a bed of roasted vegetables topped with samphire. The dessert selection includes white chocolate and redcurrant mousse and Baileys crème brûlée with chocolate coated shortbread biscuit. A bar menu with offerings like steak and ale pie and scampi with chunky chips matches well with your choice of Chenin Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Merlot, Shiraz or Rosé.

An eclectic menu, efficient service and unassuming yet comfortable interiors give the Fortune House in Salisbury Road its charm. The sheer variety of Chinese cuisine boggles the mind. While serving all time favourites along with its signature dishes, Fortune House makes its mark with regulars as well as first timers.

Various set dinner options do the work for those who have difficulty making up their minds. A set dinner for two could consist of barbequed spare ribs, finger size spring rolls, sweet and sour pork Cantonese style, fried sliced beef in chilli and black bean sauce, fried sliced chicken with cashew nuts and special fried rice. The main menu lists such dishes as stuffed lettuce rolls, sweet and sour king prawn, roast duck and pork in plum sauce, fried sliced beef in black pepper sauce, fried straw mushrooms with bamboo shoots and fried Singapore rice vermicelli. Dessert options include pineapple fritters in syrup and toffee apple. A takeaway menu is also available.