Wednesday 20 June 2012

Handy for Sherman Cymru: Café Sunrise


It was Sunday afternoon and I was taking my youngest to see Petit Mal at Sherman Cymru in Cardiff. Where could we eat in this student area that was not a pub or a chain fast-food joint? Our answer: Café Sunrise.

Café Sunrise serves Middle Eastern food. I believe the owners are Lebanese. The menu features houmous, baba ghannouj, tabbouleh and other regional favourites, in the form of baguettes, pittas, wraps and salads. It is mainly vegetarian, although meatballs are on the menu. We both went for falafel. Café Sunrise are currently making a big deal about baking rather than frying their falafels (though a microwave also seems to be involved); possibly with an eye on the health-conscious student market. I like falafels any which way, and these were good falafels. I had them in a baguette, while my daughter had them in a Mexican-style wrap. There seems to be the potential to get more falafels in a wrap. Garlic mayonnaise is one of the favoured condiments.


Drinks on the menu include Turkish coffee and mint teas. My coffee was good; my daughter had a chilled oasis blackcurrant drink. Our total bill was £8.60.

There is seating for around 16 in the café, which also does take-away. The kitchen area is basic, but Café Sunrise has a good (4 out of 5) Food Hygiene Rating (food hygiene is not all about large kitchens and shiny new equipment).

The owner seems good with children. He talked directly to my daughter and asked her what she liked. This was also the case recently in Pasta Pot, another Cardiff independent. It's appreciated. It doesn’t happen at fast-food chains.

Café Sunrise is open for breakfast, brunch and lunch, and for coffee and snacks through to the evening. It’s only a couple of minutes walk from Sherman Cymru.

As to Petit Mal (three guys from Finland do oddball acrobatics), if you find Aki Kaurismaki movies uproariously funny then they may be the circus act for you. The manic trampoline routines were particularly impressive and there were several moments of inspired surrealism. Some of the dry comedy set to a soundtrack of Bob Dylan was more of an acquired taste though.

This strand of posts on eating places handy for Sherman Cymru is not suggesting that the food in the Sherman is no good. Far from it, the baguettes and tapas I have eaten at the Sherman have been very good. I am just making some recommendations for frequent visitors to this theatre, like myself, who like to vary it a bit.

Café Sunrise
94 Salisbury Road CF24 4AE

Also handy for Sherman Cymru:

Daiquiris

Sherman Cymru



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