The Discovery is the latest addition to the Knife & Fork Food brand and takes its place alongside company’s other outlets, namely The Conway in Pontcanna, The Pilot in Penarth and The Old Swan Inn in Llantwit Major.
Anyone familiar with The Discovery’s siblings will be immediately at home as the blackboard menu concept has been continued here along with a simpler lunch menu served between 12 and 4pm every day except Sunday. As the blackboard menu can change frequently it even has its own Tumblr blog here.
The ever changing chalkboard menu
I wasn’t familiar with the Discovery before I attended the soft launch but it’s obvious the amount of renovation work that has gone on inside. There’s a large airy bar area and a nicely appointed restaurant area.
Part of the Discovery’s Restaurant Area
As I was attending the soft launch (basically a dry run to help the kitchen and front of house smooth out any issues before the paying customers arrive) it wouldn’t be fair to write this up as a ‘proper’ review. Having said that there really wasn’t anything to complain to about.
After a good study of the blackboard I decided to start with the Crispy Aromatic Duck Egg, Shitake Mushroom, Wild Garlic Purée and Onion Ash (£5.50). Now the Chef is going to live or die by a dish like this, as if that duck egg isn’t soft and runny when you cut into it then the only outcome is disappointment. Fortunately no disappointment here.
Crispy Aromatic Duck Egg, Shitake Mushroom, Wild Garlic Purée and Onion Ash
For mains there was simply no other choice for me other than the enticingly named Our Plank of Pig (£12.50). There was no disappointment here either and my eyes lit up when the board of porky goodness was put in front of me. It tasted as good as it looked as well and all things considered is nothing if not a delicious bargain.
Our Plank of Pig
Plank of Pig, Worth a Close Up
Dessert took me back to my childhood with a Raspberry Ripple Baked Alaska, Raspberry Mousse and Red Wine Caramel (£5.00). Whilst not identical to the dessert of my childhood, mother never made us individual desserts in those days, it certainly had all the component parts although I think this one had seen a chef’s blow torch and not the inside of an extremely hot oven. That being said it’s all about the taste and this Alaska certainly delivered on that front. The sharp raspberry being a great foil to the sweetness of the meringue.
Raspberry Ripple Baked Alaska, Raspberry Mousse and Red Wine Caramel (£5.00)
All in all I think The Discovery is a winner. Good food, in a decent place with a good atmosphere. Not only does The Discovery deserve to become a popular neighbourhood restaurant for those living that side of Cardiff, but it also deserves a trip past the lake for those that don’t.
Give it a try.
The Discovery
Celyn Avenue, Lakeside, Cyncoed, Cardiff, CF23 6FH
Tel: 02920 755 015
Web: http://knifeandforkfood.co.uk/discovery.htm
Twitter: @thediscoverypub
