FIG TREE ****
The Esplanade, Penarth. 029 2070 2512
Nearly two years on and Mike and Sandie have the Fig Tree firmly planted in the minds of food lovers all over the region. The location is perfect and the building unique – there aren’t many converted Victorian toilets that have been sympathetically restored and turned into a top-class restaurant.
Mike and his team work tirelessly to maintain a memorable dining experience by providing the best service possible. All ingredients are fresh and locally sourced; the menu changes are seasonal and currently you can enjoy an excellent choice of seafood: oak smoked salmon with mixed leaves and a wholegrain mustard dressing, and grilled sardines with fennel and lime salad. We dined recently and had homemade tomato soup and calamari to start followed by a beautifully prepared hake and a pork dish which fell apart beautifully in your mouth with mustard mash and vegetables of the day. Other specialities include Pembroke Moules Mariniere Frites – using a traditional recipe – Pembroke mussels cooked simply in white wine, shallots and parsley, and served with fries. And also a wonderful Welsh black beef sirloin steak and herb crusted fish of the day.
As well as the interesting menu, The Fig Tree hosts regular dining experience evenings with celebrity chefs and occasional champagne nights. These are worth keeping an eye out for as they do fill up quickly. The upstairs area is accommodating a bbq area, and from July, every Monday will be Meat Free Mondays encouraging a vegetarian option and a healthier diet. The Fig Tree is what an eating out experience should be, and one that you won’t forget.
ANTONIA LEVAY