Housed on the ground floor of tech hub Spark, this is the largest of the Milk & Sugar brand’s three Cardiff venues under the Collection umbrella. By day a meeting venue or breakfast/brunch hangout, this recent addition is an early evening dinner club, open from 4-8pm Tuesday to Thursday.
Milk & Sugar chief Tim Corrigan is a stickler for detail and can be found here most days titivating the menu, chatting to the customers and generally making sure all is well. The attention to detail is exceptional, which – along with the use of fresh, UK-sourced ingredients – makes for a hidden gem. The cost, around £20 for three courses, is reasonable enough to allow for regular visits; the chefs have all done time in respected eateries, and bring their own tweaks and suggestions to the menu.
With a selection of plates divided into ‘small’, ‘big’ and ‘sweet’ and starting at £4, it’s easy to just travel through the menu and get carried away. Mac’n’cheese panko bites with truffle and chive oil, buffalo chicken bites with pickles and blue cheese sauce, and sauteed tenderstem broccoli with garlic and almond flakes were enough for me – although, at the recommendation of the lovely staff, I did take home a Greek yoghurt pannacotta with cherries, honey and popcorn. All dishes would be home at a much higher-priced restaurant.
The early evening supper club is running until the end of October (with the possibility of extended dates – check the website). Another bonus is the dining soundtrack which, it’s fair to say, Tim keeps a very tight rein over: thankfully, he has an awesome selection of tracks from Joni Mitchell to The Killers to Creedence Clearwater Revival. Relax, enjoy and get an early night without feeling ripped off.
Milk & Sugar, Spark Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff.
Info: here
words ANTONIA LEVAY
