Pieminister Cardiff review

Last weekend, I was lucky enough to be invited to review another restaurant – Pieminister in Cardiff. It was a quiet Sunday afternoon and I took Phil with me after a hectic morning of shopping.

The restaurant opened in March 2014 and is the first Pieminister in Wales. With its bright lights spelling out “pies” shining out down St Mary Street, it’s pretty hard to miss.

 

It is the company’s largest and most impressive restaurant so far, with plenty of space to enjoy the much-loved classics as well as the ‘lighter’ pie range. The interior has a quirky but rustic charm that’s full of character.

Nothing is subtle or understated. There’s the white tiling, copper piping, feature walls of different-sized photo frames and their “live and eat pie” motto written in paint and fluorescent lighting. However, it was the mock cinema board which caught my eye the most, with its pie-themed versions of Hollywood blockbusters and independent films.

The staff were friendly and attentive. We managed to get a table straightaway as it wasn’t too busy and we were served not long after seating. This was greatly appreciated as Phil and I were ravenously hungry after trawling the shops for three hours.

The company adopts ethical values and uses 100% free range British meat and MSC-certified fish. All its vegetarian pies are Vegetarian Society Approved. As for the menu, its packed with fun names for their dishes, like the Kate and Sidney pie (steak, kidney and real ale), or the Funghi Chicken (chicken with field and chestnut mushroom).

Choosing what to have from the menu was a difficult process. There were so many delicious varieties to choose from and what’s more, the Christmas menu was available, making deciding even trickier.

Eventually, I decided on the Chicken of Aragon pie as part of the Mothership option which includes mash, pie, mushy peas, gravy, crispy shallots and grated cheese. The chicken was really tender and perfectly cooked. The pastry was and thick and sturdy, not soggy, with a flaky top. The mash was creamy and buttery (just the way I like it!) but my only problem was that there wasn’t enough of it. But that’s just personal preference, there was no other room for improvement.

Phil went for the Deer Santa pie (venison, dry cured bacon, red wine and puy lentil) and sides of mash and peas with gravy. The venison was moist, and the whole filling was intense and rich, with a hearty flavour. The peas were fairly spicy and made a nice change from the usual garden kind. Again, Phil commented on how he would have liked a larger portion of mash but apart from that, he couldn’t fault it.

So, Pieminister was a real treat. It is the perfect place to dine in the winter – cosy surroundings meets hot, comforting food. I’d recommend to anyone who is partial to a good pie, it won’t be long until I’m back to try the Merry Berry variety! Paul Hollywood would be proud.

Pieminister, 35 St Mary St, Cardiff CF10 1AD. Tel: 029 2000 4155

www.pieminister.co.uk