Have you ever asked yourself how many photos of doughnuts were too many photos of doughnuts? Yeah, me neither...😆

Welcome to this evening’s post of Dark that I had the pleasure of visiting this afternoon. Located in Castle Arcade next to the likes of Greazy Vegan and Fabulous Welshcakes, this 20-odd seater restaurant is the latest creation of Phil Lewis, the entrepreneur behind some of Cardiff’s favourite eateries including Dusty Knuckle, Hoof and Nook in addition to the very successful Bite festival.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, I had struck up a conversation with Phil along with his lovely team whilst enjoying my lunch. A cross between Paul Rudd and Ozzie Man Reviews, Phil is a down to earth individual with an undeniable passion for food.

Phil’s concept for Dark is ‘Nose to Tail’ eating, essentially wasting nothing, be it animal or vegetable. This ethos might be ajar to some diners who don’t like the idea of eating chicken hearts, livers, etc. and would rather not be too culinarily challenged. There are alternatives at Dark for those less adventurous however it’s great to hear from Phil that more and more Cardiff diners are embracing this way of eating that pays homage to an animal that gave its life, ensuring that none of it goes to waste.

I’m told the menu on Mon-Wed is more subdued than you’d find on Thurs-Sat but nonetheless delicious. I ended up having the Vegetarian Tempura kebab topped with sesame aioli, herb sauce and fermented chillies. This extremely generous serving (think Leyli Joon & Co's Bab Haus size on steroids) defeated me which is really saying something! The mix of flavours and textures were a delight from start to (almost) finish, from the soft fluffiness of the kebab bread, to the crispness of tempura topped off with the great kick from the chilli.

The chocolate doughnut was a joy to behold, a joy to shoot and an even greater joy to eat. If an Italian bombolini ever met a chocolate scotch egg, this would be the result!

I’m running out room so I’ll finish off by saying go and challenge your idea of eating by trying these guys out. If you chicken out you can at least treat yourself to an amazing doughnut! 😋

I know I’m a little behind the 8-ball, but yesterday I finally got around to visiting FRANKS.

From the people who brought you The Two Anchors, Franks is an amazing new(ish) hotdog venture located in Cardiff Central Market.

Simple in concept but a knock-out in execution, Franks’ hotdogs pack an enormous punch both in terms of flavour and presentation. Whether you’ve ordered the outdoor reared Gloucester old spot pork or their smoked tofu dog, you can immediately be assured you’re eating a superior product.

When it comes to toppings and condiments there are 11 options to dress your dog, so whether you’re a traditionalist who likes to keep things simple or someone who loves to go to the extreme, there’s something to suit almost everybody!

For me, I chose the pork dog with ketchup, mustard, grilled onions, pickles and crispy bacon for a bit of crunch, whilst my partner went for the smoked tofu dog with ketchup, mustard and kraut.

Both of these dogs were just the dirty guilty pleasure of deliciousness we’d been hoping for! The brioche buns sourced through Friends in Knead would easily make a tasty snack in their own right, but in combination with the frank they come together to create the perfect collaboration.

With such great food currently available in Cardiff Central Market, and with Dosaa opening soon, there’s never been a better time to head into the centre of town to go visit! Grab yourself a Frank and explore all the wonderful things the market has to offer 😋

On the recommendation of my old martial arts teacher (who just happens to be the owner’s uncle), I went to visit The Little Viet Kitchen in Islington this afternoon.

This place is incredibly cute and has a really calming atmosphere about it all. Everything feels like it has its place and is curated to perfection. The staff were lovely and informative and upon sitting down I was brought some cucumber water to start with which was a wonderful refreshing touch.

Having followed their Instagram and seen their website I mostly knew what I wanted. The real question was whether I’d have enough room for dessert? Spoiler alert, I did! 😂

Their lunch menu is great value, taking into account the quality and location. Starting at £14.50, this included a selection of starters and mains, whilst if you wanted dessert too, it was £18.50 for the 3 courses.

I started with the Pork Spring Rolls which has the most amazing crispness to the wrapper whilst the filling was delightful parcel of flavours.

Next came their Famous Organic Beef Pho. This comes with a supplement of £5 but I can tell you hands down that it’s well worth it! The broth was mind blowing! So rich and delicate at the same time and immersed with flavour. The addition of so many wonderful fresh herbs, chillies and lime gave the pho an amazing array of colour giving it both beauty and deliciousness to match.

Without much arm twisting, I ordered the LVK Cheesecake for dessert. This is described as a coconut cream and soft cheese with a coconut biscuit base. It comes with a choice of 3 toppings including salted caramel (yes please!), mango and strawberry.

I don’t know what to say really other than it was so beautiful to look at and I needed to find the self restraint to put the camera down and pick the spoon up. The cheesecake is delicate and light with a lovely subtle tones of coconut. The combination of cheesecake, drizzled salted caramel and the chocolate soil made for a spoonful of pure joy. I especially enjoyed the candied hazelnuts which I’m told are usually left uneaten?!? 😱

As I’m running out of room, I’ll finish by saying if you’re in London, you must try this place. It’s worth every penny! 😋

Special occasion lunch at the Duck & Waffle, 40th floor of 110 Bishopsgate. Don’t be jealous, I don’t get to eat like this all the time!

Wanting to try as much as possible, we ordered the Spicy Ox Cheek Doughnut, Lobster Roll, ‘Nduja & Gruyère bread and their signature Duck & Waffle. Wanted to fit in dessert but we were stuffed!

I’m amazed by this 24-hour restaurant. It has fantastic views of the city (weather permitting) within a welcoming and intimate setting. Food tasted as good as it looked and service was excellent.

With so many great eating options in London it’s easy to get spoilt for choice. Needless to say, if you need a restaurant for a special occasion that has amazing views without all the over the top pretentiousness that sometimes comes with it, you can’t go past Duck & Waffle! 😋