Hang Fire Southern Kitchen, Barry

Remember me? I'm sure that I used to be a food blogger, once upon a time! This year has been completely crazy. I've started a new job and had so much going on, that Sun Sea & Sara has taken a bit of a back seat. Lots of food and adventures since you last saw me, that's for sure. I've been taking photos and posting up on Instagram, so hopefully I'll try and catch up on the blogging!

I've been so busy in fact, that I've managed to visit the incredible Hang Fire Southern Kitchen twice and somehow not told you all about it yet. So grab a beer and prepare to get very hungry...

It's worth the wait that you'll inevitably have for a table. They're still so busy that they're very often fully booked, and unfortunately I live just too far away to risk a walk in. However, I'd wait months (impatiently, granted) to get my hands on these Louisiana hot wings again. They have this addictive spicy, almost vinegary sauce on them and I can't get enough. I had them on both visits...and now I'm writing this again I'm off to book another table for a third batch.

I'm trying so hard to describe how good these are, but you just have to try them for yourself. Whilst gesturing to everyone else on the table about how spicy and juicy they are, with hot sauce dribbling down your chin.

I'm getting ahead of myself here though. Just in case you've been living in a cave for a couple of years and haven't bought any food from a truck recently, let me fill you in on the Hang Fire story (short version). Sam & Shauna are two awesome chicks who gave up their careers to eat their way around the US of A in search of the most badass barbecue and bring it back to Wales. They've really been the firing force behind the Cardiff street food movement, and still are. 2016 has seen the opening of their first restaurant down the at the beautiful Barry waterfront, which is going from strength to strength, while still maintaining a presence on the street food scene.

Number one rule on the day of your visit: Don't eat a thing all day.

If you're going for starters, get the hot wings. I don't care about anything else. But if you're not feeling spicy, the lil cheeky pies are a cute plate to share.

On my first visit, my friend and I (who is my equal in stomach filling ability) knew there was only one option. The Big Pit Plate. A sharing plate for two. Or should I say plates.

The meats: Brisket, St Louis ribs, Andouille sausage, Carolina style pulled pork. Oh and a little pot of glorious burnt ends and pickles.

The Hang Fire ribs are indescribable if you haven't tried them yourself. Smoked low and slow the Hang Fire way, with the pink smoke ring and the dry rub on top. Melt in your mouth good, the meat just falls off the bone. Ditch the forks and get stuck in.

Oh and the pulled pork. Oh and the brisket. Oh it's just all so good. I might not have blogged in a while but I really am all out of words to describe this barbecue heaven that is HF. Just go and eat it all. Except those juicy burnt ends...they're mine. Prepare to fight your whole table over those.

Nothing at HF is an afterthought. Even the carb tray was a fantastic mix of sides. A pot of slaw and pit beans each, a slice of cornbread and perfect chips. The light and tangy coleslaw recipe is in their book (available on Amazon, but I got free with a £20 hug), I made it for a BBQ and even my mayonnaise obsessed friends and family loved it. It just goes so much better with the meat than the usual claggy stuff you buy in the shops.

Even the sauces are made to their own recipe, the espresso sauce being my favourite drizzled on top of the chunky beef brisket.

While us girls worked our way through the Pit Plate, the boys both went for the brisket. Complete with burnt ends and piled high on Texas toast (which I think is a slice of garlic bread to you and I). That ring of pink around the outside called the 'smoke ring' is a chemical reaction, and is the true sign of a low and slow smoking of the meat (which you won't find at certain "smokehouses" that pop up around town).

Second time around, it was just Mr P and I on my birthday. I picked out the flat iron steak which comes with the dreamy chimichurri sauce and creamy bone marrow butter. The steak was so thick yet cut like butter, and just melted in the mouth. Don't underestimate the chips either, I was still picking at these skin on beauties long after I'd run out of room.

Mr P went for something he'd always wanted to try, that American classic of chicken and waffles, but with a sweet potato fry swap.

The verdict - as with everything else at HF - was awesome. Not being completely new to the sweet & savoury aspect (obsessed with bacon and maple syrup pancakes), it was just how he imagined it. The fried chicken had a great crunch, without being too greasy. The coating had a good balance of spice, including a hit of black pepper that cut through the sweetness. The waffles were huge chunky things, and I did enjoy the one bite I was allowed...

The Hang Fire Southern Kitchen is everything I'd hoped for when I heard they had a restaurant. Aside from the utterly faultless food, the Pumphouse is beautiful and a Pinterest dream (check out the toilets). The staff are super friendly and there's just a good fun vibe about the place. Despite the fight to book a table, it's organised so that it never feels crowded. The drinks list is pretty hefty, with a good stock of craft beers such as Beavertown and Brewdog, which all go well with the food.

Grab some friends, and go book a table now here! Don't forget to end with a pickleback!

The Stable, Cardiff

I know I go on and on about food, but you may remember me harking on and on about a little pizza and cider haven in Newquay here called The Stable. Well back then I thought that Fistral Beach was the only one, but not only do they have numerous branches, they've also brought a piece of their West Country lovin' to Cardiff.

I've been dying to try The Stable ever since I missed their opening night, but life and all sorts of other food kept getting in the way. So with a quiet afternoon off work one day, Mr P and I headed into the capital to hunter gather ourselves some lunch.

We ordered ourselves a cider flight and had a nose at the menu. The cider tasting flights are such good value and a great way to try out a couple of ciders, if the 80-odd varieties on offer are a little overwhelming. They're served in 1/3 of a pint, so if one happens to taste like cat wee, you can palm it off onto your drinking partner... *look innocent*

Both the full and lunch menus were on offer, but surprise, we couldn't decide. Mr P went for the 'Monmouth Trotter' pizza from the lunch menu, and I picked the Wild Rooster pie from the main menu. I was sold by the roast potatoes, to be honest.

I know it might look pretty, but I really do hate it when someone shoves a lump of rocket on top of a pizza. It's so unnecessary and annoying, especially when said pizza comes with a side salad in a bowl next to it. Rant over.

Pizza was pronounced lovely and crispy, and with plenty of topping.  It felt a little on the small side, but that's probably our fault for being such naughty breakfast-skipping late lunchers. This was from the lunch menu too, so more than adequate with the salad for a normal weekday lunch. For those with normal sized stomachs.

I think I won in the food stakes to be honest.

Filled to the brim with big cubes of gammon and gooey leeks, it doesn't get much better comfort food than that. Combined with a couple of potato wedges and an amazing tomato salsa to dip them in, this was a winner. The pie pastry truly was very good, piping hot and flaky but sturdy, and went well with the ciders on offer. Even the salad was tasty and well dressed, and the pickled onion a nice touch. I do wonder what happened to the other half however...

A good start to a chill out date afternoon in Cardiff. It's not the same, however, staring out at Barrack Lane instead of a Fistral Beach sunset so I just can't quite get the same excitement as I did first time around. Nevertheless, I'm sure I'll be back with a bunch friends for a relaxed evening to make our way through the cider menu, and for some more of those lovely roast potatoes.

Where to Eat in... Tenby

I've been to Tenby so many times, that it feels odd to review any of my usual haunts. Instead,  I thought I'd introduce you to a few of my fail safe favourites in my home from home. No visit to the 'Little Town of Fishes' (or Dinbych-yn-Pysgod to give it's full Welsh name) would be complete without stopping off to one or more of these brilliant eateries.


The Coach & Horses

The Coach & Horses is a bright yellow pub at the top end of Upper Frog Street. It's been a firm favourite of ours over the years that we've been visiting Tenby, and we've always tried to pop in whenever we're in town. I mean, if it's good enough for Dylan Thomas...

It's one of the cosiest pubs in Tenby and well away from the rowdier ones in the square. It ticks all the boxes on the good pub checklist, with great ales on tap, a log fire and an extensive jukebox.

The Coach & Horses boasts a large menu, one side full of traditional pub grub, and the other, surprisingly, of Thai food. The standard pub food is always a winner, especially the  'mega boozy cod' and the Dragon's curry, but the best meals I've had were from the Thai menu.

On our most recent visit, I had a garlic and black pepper prawn dish, which was gorgeous and so full of flavour! Plump juicy prawns, fresh vibrant veg and the sauce was so moreish I was mopping it up with everything I could.

We visited during lent, so I had given up meat, and I was pleased to see an abundance of vegetarian options on the menu. They would also replace any curry/Thai dish with Quorn pieces on request if possible, which I thought was a nice touch, and one which I didn't see replicated anywhere else during my forty days of hell vegetarianism.

For a chilled out night with a couple of beers and some hearty dinner, this is the one. However, if you feel like livening it up, they do sell absinthe if you're after a nightcap. I've always been too scared.


Plantaganet House

If you're after somewhere a little more fancy, try Plantaganet House. An unassuming little building from the outside, it's harbouring something more exciting behind those doors. Bare stone walls, beautiful iron candelabras and a medieval Flemish chimney make this an interior design dream. A perfect date night spot away from the rabble.

The menus, from outside, look like traditional seaside fare with colourful words scrawled over blackboards and handwritten menus adorning the walls. But contained in those menus are some pretty special meals.

Whole lobster and fresh fish of the day, alongside traditional Welsh lamb and butter roasted belly pork. An extensive wine list makes this the place to go if you want to impress. Be prepared to pay to impress however, as it's a lot more expensive than anywhere else I've eaten in Tenby town. It's worth it for a treat, however expect to pay around an eye watering £24 for a meat/fish based main.

However, that seabass biryani above though? Worth every penny - hands down the best meal I've eaten in Tenby.


Fecci & Sons Fish Bar

You can't come to the British seaside and not get fish and chips. It's the rule.

There are a few fish and chip shops dotted around, but we've always found Fecci's to be the best around. They've got an extensive menu, cook their fish fresh to order and also provide gluten-free fish and chips for those who require it.

Crispy batter that's not too greasy, hiding flaky white cod inside is always a winner in my book. A pile of highly salted-and-vinegared chunky chips on the side and a pot of curry sauce and it's heaven. Mushy peas if you're feeling virtuous, they're pretty good here too.

Look out for when battered Mars Bars are on the menu. Holiday calories do not count.

Top tip, get your chips wrapped up to take away, turn left out of the shop and then left again. Eat them on the benches there, staring out at the sea and over South Beach. It's the best view. Just watch out for the seagulls.


The Baytree

You can't miss the Baytree, in prime position in Tenby's Tudor Square. It's positioning not only makes it easy to find, but if you get a window table, the perfect place for people watching too. My favourite holiday activity.

The Baytree is the antidote you need when you get to that point on holiday where you just can't take anymore chips or anything in batter. Saying that, the calamari is pretty good, and the homemade aioli just excellent. Keeps the vampires away too.

With mains ranging about £15-£20, and starters around £6, it's a step up from the pub grub on offer throughout the town, but considerably less than the Plantaganet above. However, they always have a very reasonable early bird style set menu that makes this a very viable option for both lunch and an evening meal.

During the summer months, there's usually live music on weekends too, such as an acoustic guitarist or a singer. Unobtrusively enhancing the chilled out atmosphere, it's a great place to unwind with a bottle of red and some good local food.


These are some of my top picks, but there's so much choice in town that I've still not eaten everywhere yet! Any favourites of yours that I should try out? Let me know!

Street Food Circus, Cardiff

Street Food Circus is one of the many nighttime street food pop ups that are appearing throughout Cardiff in the coming months.

Every Friday through to Sunday in May and June, numerous local street food trucks roll up (roll up) to the big top in Old Stable Yard, John St. For those not so familiar with Cardiff, that's behind John Lewis, over the road and under the railway bridge. As soon as you're under the bridge, you can't miss the Big Top tent.

It's a foodies dream. I dragged Mr P along last Sunday on the promise of lunch and cocktails. I'd been craving some Greek food for some time now, and there's a serious lack of it around here. I heard Meat & Greek were appearing, and the thought of souvlaki drowning in tzatziki was enough to get me out of bed on a bank holiday weekend.

Entering the Circus, you're faced with a few vans and stalls before entering the Big Top tent. Take your time and wander around, don't go to the first stall you fancy! As there are another bunch of food trucks waiting for you the other side of the tent, and believe me, you don't want to spend all your pocket money in one go!

My advice, sideline a couple of hours and go for the atmosphere, as well as the food. It's definitely got great Friday night vibes, dress casual, grab some food and a couple of beers from the bar inside the tent, and settle in for the night with some friends. Take as many as you can - it's a lot more fun to share!

Not listening to my own advice however, I made a beeline to the ever so friendly guys over at Meat & Greek. I finally got my favourite, a salad stuffed pitta filled with grilled pork souvlaki, topped with a more than generous helping of tzatziki.

It was definitely worth the wait, as those Greeks certainly know their way around a BBQ! However, not the easiest thing in the world to eat, just try not getting any yogurt on your face!

Mr P had a wander, and his first helping came from the Patagonia Steak Shack. He plumped for a roll with 48 hour slow cooked beef, topped with crumbly stilton and sharp salty gherkins. Definitely hit the spot.

A little breather ensued while we chilled out in the tent and rubbed our bellies, before we were ready to go wandering again. At the back of the circus is a cute little pink van, making exciting candy coloured 'Kooktails'. The sun had come out, and it was glorious out in the yard, so a lavender and rose infused gin cocktail was defintely the one for me.

Normally, I find flowery infused food and drink items are a bit like munching on a washing powder tablet, but this was lovely. Lightly flavoured with a good slug of gin, it went down a treat in the sunshine. At £7 a cocktail mind, you won't be on these all night! The Mr went for a tequila and toasted marshmallow concoction, which was too strong for my liking on the tequila, but the toasted marshmallows on the side were a lot nicer than the standard cherry or umbrella!

As soon as the sun had appeared, our 5 minutes of summer were over and the dark clouds descended upon us once more. Everyone dived back under the protection of the Big Top while the heavens opened above us!

Thankfully, with two well stocked bars, plenty of seats and some funky live music going on, no-one was in a rush to go anywhere. Least of all us. People hovered around the edges of the tent, grabbing umbrellas and making a run for it out to one of the trucks when they got hungry again.

Me included. I'd been nosing on everyone else's food as they wandered around me in the tent, and kept getting a wonderful smell from the Bao buns that passed by. I decided I'd brave the rain to go try one for myself. I'd heard good things about Hokkei, and with two Masterchef finalists at the helm, it was worth a shot.

For £5, we shared a 'Moo Bao' which was an Asian steamed bun, filled with slow cooked beef brisket with black beans and kimchi, topped with lots of zingy coriander and tomato. I've never tried a Bao bun before, and I've got to be honest, I found it a little bit slimey and not my favourite thing. However, the slow cooked beef with those light flavours on top was wonderful, and tasted as good as the smell had led me to believe.

But after that, and a few drinks, you could have stuck a fork in and called me done. All I kept seeing after that were crispy churros, from Mr. Churro, with gleaming little pots of chocolate dipping sauce. I really, really wanted some, but my jeans zipper was not going to allow it.

That's the beauty however, because all these stalls are on rotation for the next two months, so I'll be back for my Churros at some point!

So pop over if you find yourself hungry and in Cardiff within the next two months! It's open from 5pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2pm on Sundays. Sunday afternoons are the best to take the whole family. Make sure you take enough cash, and wear sensible shoes. While I'm at it with the dress code - wear loose fitting clothes, you're gonna need them.

Tag me in all your photos, so I know what to eat next time! And remember...

Postcards from Tenby

I love a spontaneous adventure. We're a pretty indecisive couple sometimes, what film to watch and where to eat can take hours. This year however, we've become pros at just deciding that we want a holiday, so we're going on one.

Which is how, after a bit of a moan to each other on a Thursday lunchtime, we ended up in a lovely little B&B (Sunnybank, for those interested) with our toes in the Tenby sand by Sunday afternoon.

Tenby is one of our favourite places. It's home from home. Especially this place...

It's so picturesque, and such a jewel on the Pembrokeshire coast. Everything seemed to gleam a little bit brighter in the September sunshine. 

Two nights by the sea is the cure for all moans and groans! We were lucky enough to have a beautiful sunshine filled weekend, with temperatures in the early twenties and nothing but a few candy floss white clouds in the sky.

Looks like someone else wasn't ready to go home either...

These few days away for our anniversary were full of nothing but walks on the beach, lazy drinks overlooking the sea and huddling by the fire by night. Is there anything better?