No trip to Cardiff would be complete without a trip to one of the hippest hotels on the block, the Park Plaza. Recently voted Wales’ AA Hotel of the Year it oozes a quiet sophistication that encourages a 30-something crowd to return time after time to its classy bar and AA Rosette winning Laguna Restaurant. We arrived on a Friday night for a pre-dinner drink before settling down to peruse the menu. The surroundings are dark chocolates and wood, very open (you can see straight into the kitchen) and staff impeccably dressed in black. The menu isn’t overwhelming, just a decent choice of starters and mains that speak of quality and seasonal ingredients.
The waiting staff are all very friendly and eager to please, any questions that you may have are readily answered. Our starters arrived, the LKB prawn cocktail for myself and a chicken liver parfait for my wife. No need to be snooty about a P.C. Crisp iceberg lettuce, succulent juicy prawns and a creamy Marie Rose sauce made for a great start to the proceedings. The parfait went down equally well and we settled down for the mains whilst sipping a very palatable Sauvignon Blanc. The main courses appeared and we tucked in with gusto. A huge lemon sole for my wife looked fantastic and I was assured it was. Perfectly cooked and accompanied by vegetables and a side order of cauliflower cheese, it was delicious. My sirloin steak with skinny fries was spot on, with it arriving as I asked for, medium rare. It was a thoroughly enjoyable dinner, everything arriving on time and piping hot.
For dessert I chose the Peach Melba with 2 spoons, for sharing. Warm poached peaches with vanilla ice cream in a brandy snap basket, superb. The espresso’s to follow were perfect, with a small glass of sparkling water to accompany them. Very Italian. The meal ended as it began, good food, service and surroundings. What more could you ask for from a night out? By the time we left, the restaurant was very lively. With great music and and a very cool vibe paying the Laguna Kitchen & Bar a visit is a must for those who want to see and be seen in one of Cardiff’s best venues.
Laguna Bar & Restaurant