TidbitsHow to make mezze page 7

Sharing food at your f ingertipsIssue 1

Cross restaurant reviews page 2

Where to buy

International sharing food page 4

Local

Double Super Happy: interview page 4

producepage 6

Listings page 8

Three ways with rice

Yalanci DolmaThese crispy vine leaves are stuffed with stodgy rice mixed with pinenuts.The crunchy wrap of the leaves works well with the soft and tangy filling.With lashings of oil and served with lemon and pepper for extra zest these mini-wraps make a great starter or nibble.£3.50Troy serves authentic Turkish cusine.

Review@TidbitsMag

Troy Tenkaichi ROTI

Tuna and salmon sashmi bento box

Maki rolls are a familiar sight with sushi and these are some of the best. Filled with crab sticks and cucumber and wrapped in seaweed they have a subtle, almost sweet taste.These rolls came in a bowl with raw fish, salad, pickled ginger and firey wasabi. The perfect option for sharing.£11.30Tenkaichi provides healthy sushi and noodles.

See listings (page 8) for full details of restaurants

Meet the food-loving, tapas-scoffing and mezze-making Tidbits team. Bringing you the very best in international sharing food from around Cardiff is Char Dallin, Lily Howes, Emma Pocklington and Emilee Tombs. Tidbits has been created for the Cardiff JOMEC Magazine MA. We wanted to create a food magazine with a specific focus that could appeal to an audience who enjoy sharing good quality food, of all varieties, both in and out of the home.

The Tidbits Team

For more from Tid bits fol low us on Twitter @Tid bitsMag

Bhel PuriPart fresh, sweet salsa and part crunchy, zingy snack, Bhel Puri is a medley of spiced, puffed rice grains tossed with chutney, chickpeas, red onion and fresh coriander. Incredibly moorish and the perfect Indian sharing dish, Bhel puri is iconic in West India and incredibly is also low in fat.£2.00ROTI serves South Indian street food.

Double Super Happy is the brainchild of Matthew Dalley and David Griffiths, owners of renowned tapas bar Pica Pica. Tidbits sat down with their valued manager, Jamie McGowan, to suss out what this trendy new establishment has to offer.

Meeting right before opening on a Friday evening, Jamie and his team are preparing for the weekend rush. I’m ushered to a corner booth as a troupe of waiters in matching black attire set up a strip of tables that have been booked out in advance.

“We had our proper, big opening at the beginning of November,” Jamie explains, “but we’ve been trading for about three months before that. We had a soft opening first of all as we wanted to learn all the dishes inside out.”

Jamie was brought in as the new manager of Pica Pica just over a year ago. The owners of the Mediterranean tapas bar in Cardiff city centre were looking for someone who had the potential to get on board with the launch of Double Super Happy and work closely with the Pica Pica team. Jamie, very happily, fit the bill.

It is abundantly clear that Jamie is passionate about both restaurants and is a very hands-on manager. “I was a big part of the food, the drinks and the design of the place,” he says as he goes on to

Double Super Happy chappyInterview 3

meticulously describe the menu. Double Super Happy serves “pan-Asian tapas”, as described by Jamie. Just as at a tapas bar, you’re encouraged to order three or four dishes each and share them with the people you’re with. “That way you get to try a bit of everything,” he says.

The dishes range from traditional Chinese dim sum, steamed savoury parcels with fish, meat or vegetable fillings, to satay, spring rolls and Singaporean long yard beans. Jamie explains that meals at Double Super Happy are an

incredibly social experience with diners switching and swapping dishes and using all their senses.

“People get stuck in with their hands or chopsticks

but we do have cutlery on hand where necessary!” Jamie

reassures. The mix of flavours, aromas and colours in the cuisine,

combined with the lively music and atmosphere of the hip and modern setting come together

to form the ultimate sharing food experience.

And let’s not forget the drinks. To wash down your alternative tapas choose between a selection of beers imported from China, Japan and Thailand, sake (rice wine) or Japanese spirit, schochu.Alternatively try one

of Double Super Happy’s original cocktails. Sip on a Tokyo Tea - midori and white spirits topped with citrus and lemonade - or a lychee and roses martini.

If you’ve popped in to grab a bite to eat on your lunch break then never fear as the DSH team have a variety of Japanese teas and other soft drinks available too.

“Trade is really picking up and the response we’ve had from local food reviewers and bloggers has been great,” says Jamie. And if the success of sister restaurant Pica Pica is anything to go by, no doubt Double Super Happy will have secured itself as a Cardiff hotspot in no time.

Make way for the new Tokyo-inspired bar serving up the swankiest sharing food this city has to offer

“Dishes range from dim sum to

satay, spring rol ls and Singaporean long yard beans”

Jamie, focused for the weekend rush.

DSH’s speciality dim sum

sharing food from around the world @TidbitsMag

Argentina – P icadaPicada is a type of sharing food eaten in Argentina. It is usually only cold dishes such as olives, ham, salami and different types of cheese.

Greece – MezzeSmall dishes served hot or cold such as octopus, olives, beans, grilled cheeses and fried sausages. It is common in Greece for mezze to be served with Ouzo, an aniseed flavoured drink which is a symbol of their culture.Spain – Tapas

The serving of tapas is designed to encourage conversation because people are not so focused upon eating an entire meal. The word ‘tapas’ is derived from the Spanish word ‘tapar’ which means ‘to cover.’ Traditionally, small plates of nibbles would be placed over the top of a glass to prevent dust and flies getting into a drink in between sips. Many foods used as tapas are salty, in order to encourage the sale of more drinks at a bar. Common tapas in Spain includes a mix of cold and warm dishes such as: meatballs, olives, squid, chorizo, prawns and spicy potatoes.

Venice – C icchettiCicchetti are small snacks or side dishes served in bars in Venice, Italy. Common cicchetti include tiny sandwiches, olives, vegetables and hard boiled eggs. They are usually accompanied by a glass of wine which the locals call an ‘ombra’, meaning ‘shadow.’

sharing food from around the world Russia – Zakuski Zakuski consists of cured meats and fish, pickled vegetables and bread, served as a buffet of appetizers to share.

China – Dim SumDim Sum is Chinese food served as small, bite-sized portions. It includes steamed parcels filled with meat, fish or vegetables.

Korea – Banchan Banchan are small dishes of food set in the middle of the table to be shared. The main ingredients used in Banchan are vegetables and fish.

India – ThaliThali, which translates as ‘plate,’ is a large selection of various dishes served in small bowls. Typical dishes include rice, dal, vegetables and roti. In some restaurants, Thali is ‘bottomless’ so that guests can share and eat the food until completely satisfied.

Sharing food doesn’t just mean tapas...

Feature 5

Get shoppingIngredients@TidbitsMag

So you’ve got your recipe and your dinner party planned. Now all you need is some good quality, fresh produce. Tidbits has it covered with three of the best ingredient sources in the city. See our listings (page 8) for location details.

Wally’s Deli

Nestled away in the Royal Arcade lies a Cardiff landmark: Wally’s Delicatessen. Head here for fresh olives and antipasti, an abundance of cheese, bread and organic, locally sourced meat. Grab some after dinner sweet treats and seasonal produce too.

PringFamily

Butchers

Cardiff Markets

Pring Family Butchers on Crwys Road in Cathays does what it says on the tin. Good value and good quality meat delivered with a smile. The team here are more than happy to cut or dress your meat to your preference - even making gluten free sausages.

There are a plethora of markets in and around Cardiff throughout the week. Highly recommended are the farmers’ markets at Roath and Riverside selling fruit and veg, baked goods, olives, herbs and spices, all from local farmers and traders.

Making mezze

Slice each aubergine in half lengthways and score down the flesh side. Soak with oil and sprinkle over the spices. Leave in the oven on 200 degrees C/Gas Mark 6 for 40 minutes until completely soft and charred. Mix together the yoghurt, lemon and mint and serve on top of the cooked aubergines.

Put all the kofta ingredients in a bowl, mix well and shape into small torpedo shaped balls. Sear the kofta in a hot pan until browned on the outside. Meanwhile mix together the dressing and once the kofta are browned spoon it over them. Transfer to a 200 degrees C/Gas Mark 7 for 2-4 minutes. Arrange on a plate and scatter with pine nuts and parsley.

Lamb Kofta

Gril led Aubergine

2 garlic cloves, crushed, 2 tsp cumin,2 tsp coriander1 tsp chil li f lakes1 tsp sweet paprika

140ml olive oil2 medium auberginesGreek yoghurt1 tbsp lemon juice10g fresh mint.

How to... 7

150g light tahini paste 3 tbsp lemon juice, 120ml water 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 tbsp sunf lower oil50g P ine nuts toasted1 tsp nutmegP inch of salt

2 garlic cloves, crushed 400g Minced beef 30g f lat leaf parsley1 large medium hot chil li 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp al lspiceP inch of black pepper

Local ListingsListings@TidbitsMag

Pear Tree Wel lf ield Road 029 2025 2042

Puccini 120 Al bany Road 02920493031

Mango 105 Cathays Terrace 0290228221

P ica P ica 15-23 Westgate Street 02930345703

Deli Rouge 73 Pen-y-wain Road 02920483871

Pretence 83 Whitchurch Road 02920 613658

Fino Louge 49 Merthyr Road 02920 692616

RO T I 290 North road 02920 610334Tenkaichi 236 C ity Road 02920 481888

Valentinos 5 Windsor P lace 02920 229697

Troy 192 C ity Road02920 499339

Food St. Caterers of Cardiff caterers-cardiff.co.uk

Wal ly’s Delicatessen 38-46 Royal Arcade 029 2022 9265

Madame Fromage 18 Castle Street 029 2064 4888

Bant a la Cart 231 Cathedral Road 02920 227180C ontinental Deilcatessen 160 C ity Road 02920 425240

Gusto Emporium Llandaff 02920 568606

Where to learn...

Llanerch vineyard - Welsh

tapas cooking classes

07979 141291

Deli a GoGo Whitchurch 02920 610956

Where to eat

Where to shop