THE KINGS ARMS | FOOD REVIEW
Church Road, Pentrych, Cardiff. 029 2089 0202 / www.kingsarmspentyrch.co.uk
After several reincarnations, The Kings Arms is now under the ownership of Andy Aston, former head chef at Le Gallois. His no-nonsense menu has proved a massive hit with locals, and is attracting a loyal base from further afield.
The menu is divided up into old favourites and seasonal mains. To my pleasant surprise, I found there were at least three or four items on each course I could have easily been swayed by. Take the starters: Serrano reserve, bittersweet figs, Innes goat curd, honey with pickled walnuts, Welsh mussels in cider and leek and bacon cream with fresh bread, to name only a couple. On my insistence we chose from the sharing board menu – the Fishermans’ selection of curried cod cakes, smoked mackerel pate, crispy whitebait, cockles and bacon, fish goujons, marie rose and tartare sauces and breads. It amounted to a feast, and an entirely homemade one.
For mains, I went for the old favourite, steak (sirloin) and chips with roast tomato and mushrooms. He had Blytheburg pork tenderloin with pressed potato, flaked hock, glazed carrots, sage and black pudding. We shared cabbage, leeks and peas. Other delights on offer included pan-fried sea bream, sobrassada, cured ham, confit peppers with chorizo bonbons, and the infamous Kings fish and chips. The sweet selection was a delight. We opted for the fairground, which was more of a display than a dessert: mini toffee apples, candyfloss, marshmallow and ice cream in a peanut flake, the presentation of which would have put Heston Blumenthal to shame. It tasted divine, childhood in a spoonful.
The Kings Arms have without doubt found their mojo and are reaping the rewards. Reasonably-priced food, a good wine selection and an interesting menu, with a quaint deli attached – what more do you want?
words ANTONIA LEVAY