THE MEATING PLACE **
40 St Mary Street, Cardiff. 029 2022 4757 / www.themeatingplace.co.uk
Whenever friends visit I struggle to decide where in Cardiff city centre to take them for dinner. I strive to take them somewhere unique and, quite frankly, somewhere I can show off as host. Because I’d left it late to book somewhere for six on a Saturday evening, my preferred choices were full but I was relieved to find The Meating Place had space for us.
Our large square table was quite clearly designed for eight, but as there were six of us they’d taken away two chairs from one side. This meant we had to move chairs to make it more suitable and less like we were about to watch a presentation. Thus, before we’d even sat down I was slightly irked.
The promise of skewers hanging from the ceiling meant we skipped starters and went straight for mains, and between us we ordered a selection of marinated meat skewers; including the lamb with cumin, coriander and garlic (£16), chicken breast with lemon, ginger and cardamom (£13.50), and the beef with raz el hanout, rosemary and olive oil (£16). Despite some confusion from the waiter who couldn’t tell the difference between the lamb and the beef, the skewers were excellent, as were the accompaniments of cous cous, flatbread and salad.
We would’ve finished the meal with coffees, but 10 minutes after ordering them we were informed that the coffee machine was broken and only filter was available (at the same price as a cappuccino – £2.95), so we declined.
Although the food was fantastic, the customer service let the evening down. Waiting over an hour for our meal to arrive and abruptness bordering on rudeness throughout were amongst several other gripes. A huge pity. ANGHARAD BROWN
