So, the press release says: “Ty Mawr in Cardiff has reopened with a brand new look following a complete refurbishment to emphasise its warm, timeless country pub atmosphere.” All very well, but does it actually deliver on the most important thing, the food?
You may recall it from its Brains days. Well, it has been completely transformed by Marston’s. A swish new Farrow & Ball colour palette complements wall panelling and bespoke tiling. There’s a new homely ‘snug’ section added to the bar featuring cosy Chesterfield seating and, additionally, the al fresco dining area has been updated. This much-loved Lisvane pub has had £317,000 invested in its refurbishment, but is it value for money?
The quick answer is yes, you’ll be relieved to hear. They’ve done a fine job and, curiously, it doesn’t feel like a refurb. It feels like it’s always been this way, which is no bad thing. It really is a compliment to the designers.
Ty Mawr has it all going for it. Nice location, great views, plenty of free parking but… yes, the food but. Does it deliver? Well, we tried it and we are pretty impressed. This was a lunchtime experience and it would be good to try it one evening and, perhaps, for Sunday lunch.
To start, we ordered Calimari for Jack and I, and Jennifer, unsurprisingly, chose the Liver Parfait. Jennifer’s positive mumbling while she devoured her scrummy parfait encrusted sourdough left no doubt she was enjoying it. The Calimari? Unbelievably good. Probably the best we’ve tasted this year. Plump, juicy and full of flavour. And good size portions too.
Jack chose the lasagne for his lunch which he enjoyed very much. A thumbs up gesture is always a good sign. Jennifer loves her steak, which she tends to like rare. It wasn’t, but it wasn’t a deal breaker either. I get that the kitchen plays it safe sometimes. I mean one woman’s rare is another man’s medium-rare. I pushed the boat out and chose the mixed grill. Wow! What a plate full. The portions are very generous indeed. Again if there was a slight criticism, the meat had enjoyed a little more cooking time than I’d have preferred. As I said, it wasn’t a deal breaker and we mentioned it at the end just as positive feedback, which the staff welcomed and assured us they would pass on.
Talking about the staff, they really are lovely. Super helpful and very professional.
For dessert? Well. to be perfectly honest, we were full to bursting but we ordered a very scrummy sticky toffee pudding to share – just to round things off.
So if you’re looking for British pub classics served alongside meals with a modern twist, such as home-made chicken and chorizo kebab with oven-baked garlic flatbread, crumbled feta cheese and pomegranate seed salad and seasoned fries, antipasti boards, and soy glazed salmon, you’ll be in the right place. Our overwhelming takeaway from this experience is “value for money”. The Ty Mawr delivers good quality food within a warm and welcoming atmosphere and successfully pulls off the perfect pub ambience. Like its food, the Ty Mawr creates that traditional pub vibe, but with a modern twist. The open log fire certainly helped
We didn’t partake on this occasion, but Ty Mawr serves a variety of cocktails, a premium lager range and a large selection of G&Ts. The cocktails do look very good. We would definitely try if we were visiting in the evening.
Ty Mawr is also home to a barn function suite, ideal for weddings, family gatherings or birthday celebration. The venue offers a comprehensive wedding package and its event coordinators can tailor guests’ celebrations to requirements.
Ty Mawr will also be hosting guests across the festive period, with a special Festive Menu on offer. The Festive Set Menu offers either 2 courses for £23 or 3 courses for £26, with dishes including Chicken Liver & Brandy Pâté, Oak Smoked Salmon, Roast Turkey (with all the trimmings), Parsnip & Chestnut Tart, Christmas Pudding and Pear & Apple Crumble.
Ty Mawr reopened on Thursday 1st December 2022.
Ty Mawr
Graig Road
Lisvane
Cardiff CF14 0OF
029 2075 4456
Where do you rate in Cardiff? Do you have a favourite pub or restaurant?
We’d love to hear your suggestions for a great meal.
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