Stop the press…two of Swansea’s restaurants have recently had fabulous reviews in two newspapers, the Times and Guardian no less.
Firstly the famous restaurant critic Jay Raynor dined at Gigi Gao’s Favourite Authentic Chinese in the Marina and loved it so much he wrote about it in the Guardian.
The critic says that “Gigi Gao’s unique style is on sparkling form in Swansea – the secret is to order unfamiliar dishes” and that the menu is also rich in non meat options. He explains that the barrel beef is a “barrel-shaped receptacle, lined with foil and filled with the kind of broth you could lose yourself in on a cold night or even a warm one, thick with ribbons of just-cooked beef and fresh green herbs, fresh and dried chillies” and the chicken wings in coke is actually chicken wings cooked in a suace thickened with coke. Mr Raynor concludes with “It’s like going to a party full of interesting people you don’t know, and in the middle coming across a dear old friend.” Nice One!
Next up its a write up by Giles Coren of Truffles in Brynmill. Looks like he came to Swansea to watch the QPR match a few weeks ago and decided to eat here first. Firstly I can confirm that the Swans won.
Here’s an evening diner menu from their website. It’s BYO if you want to.
Mr Coren, a restaurant critic for the Times, which is where he wrote up such a glowing review of the restaurant said that a two course lunch was £18.95 and it’s a straight forward menu. For example starters like Welsh chedder croquettes and mains such as sea bass from Swansea Fresh Fish. Truffles is a bit of an institution here in Swansea, never disapoints.
Generally critics have been unkind to Swansea in the past – these two great write ups are fantastic.
Here are the links to the full reviews: