Parallel

I’ll cut straight to the chase: Parallel has cemented itself as one of my favourite places to eat in the entire city of Cardiff. 

The team behind the ragingly popular Pasture certainly know how to run a restaurant.

My first visit was a fleeting one back in the summer during August. We were on a miniature bar crawl and wound up there - I was fully expecting some great food based on things I had heard/read, but wasn’t expecting to be completely blown away by them. 

We sampled some of their dishes that by now are well known throughout Cardiff: flat bread with beef butter, shallots, and iso biber chilli, plus smoked Caerphilly cheese croquettes with crispy leeks and black garlic ketchup (more on both later).

Whilst we’re on the topic of signature dishes, you can’t forget about ‘that’ carrot. Grilled and served with tahini, smoked maple, crispy chick peas, and cashew.

There was a picanha of beef with a chilli, coriander, lime, fish sauce, and shallot weeping tiger relish.

And we finished this outstanding whirlwind trip with another staple, their baked alaska.

I knew that I would return to explore their menu further, but due to other commitments it took a lot longer than I would have liked.

It’s billed as “vibrant and energetic fine dining” - this description could not have been more perfect for the ambience on the Friday before Christmas.

The chefs table is a must if you enjoy a communal aspect of dining. Tightly packed around a bar overlooking the kitchen whilst knocking elbows takes me back to times in Madrid, or in high school when sitting next to a left handed writer.

I’ve even exchanged a hand shake with a fella sat a couple of seats down with a similar moustache to me. We fish our moustache combs out of our pockets to compare. He seems completely wasted, but his smile is beaming, and it’s his birthday after all.

The festive tasting menu on offer is for 2 or more to share at £59 per head. To my delight, many of the dishes on the menu are familiar.

I’m not drinking tonight so I ask for a mocktail instead of the boozy spritz - it’s mixed with apple juice, raspberry syrup, elderflower cordial, and lime juice. I don’t usually order mocktails but it’s wonderfully refreshing.

The flat bread. Oh, the flat bread. It may look simple however the process is anything but: 3-day proofed, on the 2nd day folded every hour. Charred from being licked by flames on an open fire grill, smeared with beef fat, shallots, spiked with isot biber chilli and plenty of salt. I could never tire of starting a meal with this.

The trout is prepared gravlax style: cured with salt, sugar, and dill, served with a rye cracker, with a dollop of ferocious fermented hot sauce and smoked crème fraîche.

The leek croquettes have returned, or more likely they never left. The creaminess of them is cut through by that tangy fermented black garlic ketchup. The crispy leeks on top add a crunchy texture. This dish is a “homage to leeks” according to one of the chefs. It’s a pure delight, and my highlight of the entire menu. Quite remarkable when you consider some of the proteins I feasted on, but a testament to the brilliance of these croquettes.

Crisped pork belly with a tumble of kohlrabi noodles, a cured quails egg, dashi broth, and a dusting of Japanese spice mix is an elegant and dainty bowl full of craft and guile.

Fillet of cod is flashed on the plancha, amidst a caviar sauce with a Jerusalem artichoke purée and Jerusalem artichoke crisps. My only gripe is that the cod skin could benefit from being crisper.

Harrison, who is attending to us front of house, is from the same mould as James who looked after us on our previous visit. The staff are all personable, knowledgable, and attentive in abundance. The lads in the kitchen are handing out dishes across the counter and describing them in granular detail. This is my kind of place. I often feel uncomfortable in such congested and busy spaces, but I feel at ease here.

The guy with a moustache has fallen asleep. Genuinely. I didn’t realise I was so dull whilst sober. The team in the kitchen gaze on with awe as someone scampers to feed him a double espresso. His fiancé shrugs it off, turns to us, and attributes it to some late nights and early mornings with their new born boy, before we converse at length and at ease about our favourite restaurants.

If you end up reading this, you are a lovely couple and I hope you felt OK the next morning!

Roast quail has legs confit in beef fat, doused in a Madeira sauce containing fat from the quail and dates that provide a rich sweetness. Sprouts are livened by the spice of an XO sauce - I inquire about the XO, the chef offers me the recipe but I politely decline. I feel bad taking people’s work! That carrot thankfully makes an appearance. This course prompts me to think of a condensed play on a Christmas dinner.

The slab of flat iron steak, rare, is dressed with a bordelaise sauce, and served with some nuggets of sweet swede in a pink peppercorn and honey glaze that are perched on a bitter burnt onion purée.

Desserts. Baked apple Alaska in the form of a glacier, torched Italian meringue provides the structure to a apple sponge, flecked with PX gel, and dribbled with smoky maple syrup.

Harrison sold us on the idea of ordering an extra: Jerusalem artichoke ice-cream, white chocolate mousse, Jerusalem artichoke crisps. An innovative construction that will split opinion. I enjoy it, Millie isn’t convinced. This may be due to the crisps appearing in the cod dish several courses previous.

A mouthful of salted chocolate truffle completed our evening.

Me and the Mrs wanted to go somewhere special to celebrate finishing work for Christmas. We made the right choice in Parallel.