Restaurant review: Wahaca

I visited Wahaca for the first time last weekend after hearing countless positive reviews... I can confirm that I wasn't disappointed.

I've heard loads about Wahaca over the last few months from various sources all over the country. A branch has recently opened in Cardiff so we decided to pop in for an early dinner last Saturday afternoon. The restaurant looked busy at first glance but we were seated straight away in the bright and airy ground floor area.

Wahaca has a massive menu with a range of large dishes and smaller dishes of Mexican street food to share. As it was my first visit, I decided to order one big main dish rather than lots of smaller ones as I didn't want to confuse myself too much... I was also very hungry (as usual) so didn't want to waste lots of time deciding on various combinations. However, Neil ordered some chicken taquitos to go with his burrito so I did sample some of those. The taquitos arrived about 20 seconds after Neil ordered them and were very tasty.

I decided to go for the Mexico City Board as it sounded aaaamazing. I love fajitas at the best of times, but I especially loved the variety of unique fillings offered at Wahaca. The chicken and bacon concoction sounded really delicious so I decided to give it a try. The menu states that the Mexico City Board is 'generous for one'... they're not wrong! 

My meal came with four little tortilla wraps, a generous helping of the divine chicken and bacon filling, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, lettuce and tortilla chips. The chicken and bacon had been cooked in lime and oregano and this is definitely the best fajita filling I've ever had at any restaurant. The whole meal was really delicious and I can't fault it at all. Even the salsa was out of this world, and I don't even like salsa as a general rule. Everything was just so tasty and cooked to perfection. No bland food in sight! 

I love the interior of Wahaca and the Cardiff branch is absolutely huge with three floors. The restaurant has a very relaxed vibe and is obviously popular with big parties of people as well as for couples. The staff were friendly and informative and our food arrived much quicker than you'd usually expect. Everything was fresh and colourful, and I particularly liked the pretty lights. 

The prices at Wahaca are very reasonable for the sheer amount of food you get. Neil's copious burrito was £6.95 and my meal was £10.25, which is considerably cheaper than the equivalent meal at Chimichanga or TGI Friday's. Although the soft drinks are expensive at £2.50 for a small bottle, this now seems to be the case in most restaurants. I definitely want to try a mocktail or cocktail next time we go to Wahaca, and we might try the Wahaca Selection to sample a few different dishes. I can't wait until our next visit!

Have you been to Wahaca? What did you think? 

Restaurant review: Mission Burrito

I blogged about my restaurant wishlist a few weeks ago, and Mission Burrito is the first place on the list we've managed to venture to. We've had a busy few weeks! Cardiff's branch of Mission Burrito has only been open for a month or so, and the smell wafting out of there is always amazing as you walk past. We decided to pop in last weekend for our lunch.

After staring at the menu for a while because I tend to get confused if there are lots of different options, I decided on the chicken fajita burrito. I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer amount of chicken they loaded on to the wrap... probably more meat than I'd eaten during the last fortnight put together. I also had rice, peppers, onions, salsa verde, sour cream and cheese.

The counter and ordering process at Mission Burrito aren't dissimilar to the system in Subway, but you have about five times more food.

Once your wrap has been filled until it's about to burst, it's wrapped up in foil and given to you to tackle in the most ladylike manner possible. Good luck with this... I definitely didn't succeed with the 'ladylike' part and managed to get burrito juice everywhere. Totally worth the mess though!

I've never tried salsa verde before, but it really added something to the burrito. It helps that I love coriander, even though I'd never have thought of putting coriander in a burrito myself. The chicken was also seasoned with their chipotle sauce which was really tasty, and peppers and onions are always going to improve any burrito. Or any meal, for that matter.

My very messy burrito...

Has anyone else been to Mission Burrito yet? What did you think? I'll definitely be going back very soon!

Restaurant review: The Claude

The Claude is a huge pub situated at the end of Albany Road at the very edge of Cardiff's Student Land. I'm aware that it doesn't actually qualify as a proper 'restaurant', but I had lunch there last weekend and the food rivalled a lot of restaurants I've eaten in recently. It therefore qualifies for a restaurant review!

The menu has lots of different options and deals, just like your typical pub menu, and all the choices are extremely reasonable. I decided to opt for the chicken fajitas for £5.99. Those of you who eat chicken fajitas in restaurants regularly will know that they're never this cheap! I wasn't expecting great wonders, but it was one of the healthier options on the menu.

When everyone's food started arriving at the table, we knew we were in for a treat. All the meals were huge! The fajitas came with countless strips of chicken, peppers, onions, sour cream, cheese, salsa and three large wraps. I've eaten a lot of fajitas in my time, and these were definitely better than the fajitas I've had in the Harvester and in T.G.I. Friday's. The spice they used on the chicken was amazing! I was also very happy with the large wraps provided as it's always a bit of a mission when you're trying to fit everything in to the tiny little wraps provided in T.G.I. Friday's. I finished every little bit of the fajita mix and genuinely didn't need to eat again for the whole day. 

The pub was pretty busy and rowdy while we were there as there was football on the big screens, but it was still a nice place to have a meal and a catch up. It's a very family friendly pub as well as being ideal for students and people eating out on a budget (me).

I don't visit the Albany Road area of Cardiff very often, but I'll definitely be tempted to go back to the Claude when we do visit in the future. These fantastic fajitas followed by a Joe's Ice Cream Sundae from the next street along... what more could you possibly ask for?

Universal Studios and Universal's Islands of Adventures

I haven't blogged about Florida for a while (shock, horror), so I thought I'd write a blog post about Universal Studios and Universal's Islands of Adventure. Although these two parks are probably near the bottom of my top ten theme park list in Orlando, they're still amazing and well worth a visit.

The Universal parks are just a short drive away from Walt Disney World and are in a really beautiful setting. With the lovely views, the massive Hard Rock Cafe and the bustling City Walk, you feel as if you've stepped in to another world. I always think Hollywood must be a bit like the Universal resort area! City Walk is basically a line of shops, bars, restaurants and a huge cinema. There's always music blaring and it always gets me pumped up for the parks when I walk down the busy street.

This year, we visited Universal Studios first. Universal Studios is the original Universal theme park and has loads of brilliant rides such as Minion Mayhem (Despicable Me), Rip Ride Rock-It and The Mummy. As is my custom, I scream like a girl on these rides but absolutely love them and always want to go on again and again. Men In Black and the Simpsons ride are also a lot of fun.

We were really looking forward to going on the Transformers 3D ride this year, but unfortunately it broke down while we were in the queue! In spite of this disappointment, we did have a great time on the other rides. I would go so far as to say that Universal are the kings of simulator rides...  look no further than Minion Mayhem and the Simpsons ride for evidence of this bold statement.

Everything in Universal Studios is... BIG. An amazing amount of effort has gone into the architecture of the park and its different areas, and you just have to be impressed by the enormity of all. The Simpsons area is particularly impressive and has been improved and expanded a lot since we visited last year.

Although Universal Studios definitely has its good points, I definitely prefer Universal's Islands of Adventures. As suggested by its name, Universal's Islands of Adventures is split into various 'islands' within the park. I love the Marvel Super Hero Island, and the Islands of Adventures park is also home to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! My favourite ride in the Marvel area has got to be The Hulk... I could stay on it all day. I might be sick and very bruised if I actually stayed on it all day, but I feel that it would be (almost) worth it. The Spiderman ride is a great experience, and I love all the imagery and characterisation in and around Marvel Super Hero Island. I also went on the Jurassic Park ride for the first time this year and was grateful for my Minnie Mouse poncho (wrong park, I know) when we plunged down a small waterfall.

In my (slightly biased) opinion, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the crown jewel of the Islands of Adventure and has to be seen to be believed. You'll feel as if you've walked right in to a scene from one of the books or the films, whichever you prefer. This particular 'island' is split into two main areas - Hogwarts and  Hogsmeade. The Hogwarts castle is a majestic spectacle, and the ride inside it is breathtaking. Flying with Harry, Ron and Hermione through various scenes from the books... what more could you possibly want? The Duelling Dragons rollercoasters are also fantastic, and they never have a very big queue which is always a bonus when you're trying to rush around everything in a short space of time.

I absolutely love the way Hogsmeade has been presented and the fact that you can visit (and buy from!) all the same shops as Harry, Ron and Hermione frequently visit in the books. Everything is a bit extortionate in these shops, but you should definitely save some money to treat yourself to a souvenir from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. You can buy Hogwarts robes, wands, Hedwig teddies, tshirts for the four houses, and so much more! You can also try Butter Beer which we actually tried this year. I'm undecided on whether I liked it or not, so I'll just have to try it again next time we go.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is currently undergoing a massive expansion and the rumours around it are very exciting... I can't wait to go back there when it's all completed!

No visit to Universal Studios is complete without having lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. Universal's Hard Rock Cafe is the largest in the world and is a really magnificent building. Yes, I know it's a chain, but that doesn't stop their food from being amazing. I urge you to order their fajitas if you ever decide to pay a visit!

There are a few negative points about the Universal parks which could tarnish your experience if you let them get to you. The staff can be quite rude and abrupt which is a stark contrast to the friendly and accommodating staff in the Disney parks. The queues aren't particularly orderly so people push in on a regular basis, and the Universal parks will charge you for anything and everything. Fast passes, lockers, drink refills (even after you've paid 10 dollars for a souvenir cup)... you name it, they'll want money for it. Lastly, people are not kept particularly informed when a ride has broken down, even if they happen to be in the queue for that very ride. The Transformers fiasco I mentioned above would never have happened in a Disney park!

However, in spite of these negatives, you should definitely visit both Universal parks at least once if you're ever in the area. I think the Disney parks just set an impossibly high standard which is very difficult for other parks to live up to... difficult for any establishment to live up to, in fact! 

Which Universal park is your favourite?

Restaurant review: Harvester

I love the Harvester. Unlimited salad bar, amazing bread rolls, delicious meaty goodness and refillable soft drinks... what's not to like? I've been to the Harvester in Cardiff Bay twice in the last few weeks, and I seriously can't get enough of the place.

Let's start with the salad bar. You're entitled to help yourself to an unlimited quantity of salad with every main meal, and it isn't just any old salad. You can choose from potato salad, coleslaw, pasta, peppers, beetroot, onions, pineapple chunks, lettuce, tomatoes, onion bits, bacon bits, raisins, croutons, and a variety of different sauces. My favourite container at the salad bar is filled with warm fresh bread rolls. They are AMAZING, and I'm always at serious risk of filling myself up with bread before my main meal arrives. I also always eat a copious amount of the crispy onion and bacon bits. I should probably note here that I always fill my salad bowl(s) with the most unhealthy options from the salad bar... no lettuce or tomatoes for me.

One of my salad bowls!

I always take about ten minutes to choose my main meal as there's such a massive variety to choose from. You can either choose a main meal, side and sauce from the front few pages of the menu, or you can choose from the All Day Earlybird options on the back cover. If you choose from the Earlybird options, you get a set sauce and side rather than choosing your own. 

I'm a big fan of the skewers, burgers and fajitas, and usually choose the chilli, ginger and spring onion sauce with chips as my side dish. There's no point even pretending to be healthy when I visit the Harvester. Why on earth would you have a jacket potato instead of chips? 

Seeing as I've visited the Harvester twice in the last few weeks, I thought I'd post photos of both my main meals from these occasions as they were both spectacular as usual:

Steak fajitas from the Earlybird menu with sour cream and chive sauce and chips

Bacon cheeseburger with chilli, ginger and spring onion sauce and chips

The prices are very reasonable at the Harvester, especially as the soft drinks are refillable and the salad bar is free of charge. For example, the steak fajitas pictured above cost £6.99 for the fajitas, sauce and chips. Bargain! 

My only minor complaint about the Harvester is that they list the calories after every item on the menu. I'm well aware that I'm consuming twice my recommended daily allowance whenever I visit the Harvester, and would prefer not to be reminded of that. At least I'm always too full for dessert! 

Does anyone else love the Harvester as much as I do? Are other people also obsessed with the bread rolls?

Fajitas!

I've decided to be a lot more adventurous with my cooking in 2013, which is why I baked cupcakes and chocolate chip shortbread earlier this month. However, I also need to cook more adventurous main meals... I currently live on beans on toast, poached eggs on toast, pasta and pesto, and various sauces out of jars. This week, I decided to cook fajitas for the first time.

Here's what I used:

340g of diced turkey breast (I used turkey because it's cheaper than chicken, and needed it to be diced because I can't actually stand the thought of cutting raw meat myself)
100g of chorizo (BEST MEAT EVER)
1 onion
2 peppers
2 cloves of garlic
1 packet of Asda's own Fajita Seasoning Mix (49p - bargain!)
1 packet of wraps
A lot of Fry Lite (the seasoning mix stuck to the bottom of the wok if you didn't spray plenty of Fry Lite at it)


I basically just chopped it all up, shoved it in the wok and mixed it up... not the most difficult meal to cook. I cooked the turkey well (probably too well) before putting anything else in, due to my meat paranoia

I can confirm that the wraps were very delicious, and I had enough left over to take to work for lunch the next day. I think everyone was pretty shocked to see a variation on the old beans and toast/pasta and pesto theme. Yummers!

I think my next creation might be chilli con carne with a twist... watch this space.