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Hubbox review

Posted on 5th Dec 202025th Apr 2021 by Sasha in Food and drink, Portfolio

Before October I had never heard of Hubbox before, and now I’ll never forget it. The décor was warm, cosy and inviting with its dim and low lighting. The furnishings were wooden and there were red neon signs dotted on the walls. The restaurant gave off classic burger joint vibes with a modern twist giving it an originality that intrigued me.

The staff were engaging and showed a clear interest in their customers, which, in a COVID cautious world, was a welcome change. They stayed attentive throughout the evening, consistently offering their services and successfully providing us with a continuous flow of drinks. The music was enjoyable and, although a little loud, added a nice background noise to the conversation. I felt right at home!

The mother clucker fries and the Buffalo blue burger

After so many wins for Hubbox, the food and drinks did not let the side down. I ordered the kali chick chicken burger and swapped out the grilled chicken breast patty for a buttermilk fried chicken breast. The taste combinations were amazing with a chorizo jam that offered an intense and rich flavour alongside the chicken. The chipotle mayo created a light level of spice, whilst the guacamole and rocket cut through the richer, oilier flavours and produced a subtle palette cleanser. I love fried chicken more than anything, and I felt the crunch worked perfectly amongst the flavour combinations. I also manged to sample some of the big kahuna beef burger which was an absolute meat feast with two 4oz patties and a mountain of pulled pork. Topped with an onion ring, it was a real treat and great value for money. For me, the chicken burger took the cake, but if you are a mega meat lover, the big kahuna is the one for you!

The kali chick burger and big kahuna burger

The sides were just as good, and, although arguably expensive for sides, were definitely worth it. I got to try the mother clucker fries which were skin on fries topped with buttermilk fried chicken, cheese sauce, sour cream and Korean BBQ sauce. They were amazing and did not hold back on the toppings. The chicken was delicious, and the sour cream and BBQ sauce complimented each other perfectly with their respective cooling and rich tones. We also ordered nachos which were a classic crunchy portion of loaded tortilla chips. I really enjoyed them but I have to admit they were not as generous with the quac as they could have been and, next to the fries, were marginally disappointing. But then again, with such big stars on the menu, there will inevitably be something sitting in the shadows.

My favourite drink of the evening was the Long beach iced tea which had a delicious orangey, alcoholic twang and went down with a dangerous ease. The espresso martini was equally enjoyable and acted as the perfect digestif to such a filling meal. The bar definitely lived up to the food! I can’t wait to make Hubbox a regular haunt of mine, it’s original menu definitely makes it my new favourite burger joint. Its vegan and veggie menu makes me excited to take some of my veggie friends so they can try out its versatility. Its location is already calling out to me for a day out in the bay with a Hubbox burger and beer!

Review: Got Beef

Posted on 8th Nov 20208th Nov 2020 by Sasha in Food and drink

Wales’s national lockdown was looming and we had no choice but to spend our last evening tasting the food of Cardiff’s Got Beef. After opening its doors in 2014, Got Beef was voted as No. 2 by National Newspaper Wales in its Top 15 burger joints in Wales list. After achieving this title in less than a year, it was clear to me that the restaurant owner, Cai Pritchard had been doing something right, and I had to find out what it was.

The restaurant located on Whitchurch Road is modestly sized and rocks a casual style with wooden benches and an open kitchen. I love the open kitchen approach as it means that the diners are able to observe the chefs in the kitchen and be apart of the camaraderie. I believe that it completely elevates the entire eating experience as a whole new dimension is added to the journey from kitchen to table.

The food itself was stunning. Priced at £8 my Soprano burger was to die for. It was Juicy, succulent, the bacon was perfectly crisp and it was properly filling. The highlight for me was the sauce; jalapeno mayo. The spicy tones complimented the burger perfectly and lined my mouth with a welcome zingy and tingly sensation. It combined with the chorizo and monterey jack cheese perfectly and brought the whole burger together as one. This is a recipe I will definitely be seeking for myself!

The burgers and sides had to be bought separately

I found that the sweet potato fries trumped the skin on fries on every level. They came with the perfect crunchy coating and soft inside that the skin on fries did not deliver. However, I may be faced with a slight bias as I have recently discovered an everlasting and undeniable love for a sweet potato fry. On the other hand, the loaded fries, in my opinion, were not worth the price point. The cylindrical shaped bowl they were served in resulted in an uneven distribution of the ‘load’ and I felt this ruined the experience slightly. Whats the point in loaded fries if only half of them are loaded?

The sweet potato fries were the star of the show.

Whilst the food hit the spot, I found that the service was a little bit slow. However, the restaurant was packed and the constant stream of Deliveroo drivers excused this slightly. The lockdown measurements were also a defense of any service hiccups. This time is understandably a hard one for everyone and I can’t imagine the stress the staff were facing with the inevitable closure of their restaurant. The food came piping hot and at the same time, which, at the end of the day, was all that mattered.

The overall experience was positive and offered the perfect conclusion to our freedom. I would definitely return here as it wasn’t too expensive and the burgers satisfied our cravings. It wasn’t the best value for money but I’m eyeing up their £5 lunch deal as must try budget lunch treat!

Sober for October; the story so far

Posted on 10th Oct 2020 by Sasha in Food and drink, Uni

10 days in and it’s fair to say that my sober October has already come with its ups and downs. The support I’ve received from my friends and family is undeniably the thing that has kept me going and my motivation up. None of my friends have attempted to peer pressure me into drinking (not that I would budge) and my mum is singing my praises at home!

The combination of the local lockdown, closed nightclubs and an increased workload has also worked in my favour. My motivation has been so happy to see the back of binge drinking, getting home in the early hours of the morning and writing off whole days at a time! I’ve been able to get up early and straight to work on most days. The third-year workload, Quench magazine, my blog and new food Instagram account has demanded all my head space, so, the no drinking couldn’t have come at a better time. My life has been absolutely filled with reading and writing!

Another interesting turn of events which has added to my sober October is a round of antibiotics! For the first time in my life I have been forced into a 9-day dry spell due to medication and it couldn’t have coincided with a better month. It has only added to the motivation and reasons to stay sober, so I’m extremely grateful for my ailments!

Bring on the next 20 days!

Review: Mowgli

Posted on 25th Sep 202025th Sep 2020 by Sasha in Food and drink

“In 2014, founder Nisha Katona had a nagging obsession to build an eatery serving the kind of food Indians eat at home and on their streets.”

Walking into the Cardiff branch of Mowgli, we were met with a dazzling spectacle of fairy lights and warm colour. The staff were so incredibly welcoming and helpful that we couldn’t help but feel instantly at home in this treasure cave. On their website they describe themselves as “not about the intimate, hushed dining experience [but] about the smash and grab zing of healthy, light, virtuosic herbs and spices.” This became apparent when sitting amongst the warm light as it felt like we were all together, enjoying a family meal.

The smells coming from the kitchen flirted with our senses as our eyes flickered upon their menu, swaying our temptation and making our mouths water. The menu is so interestingly varied it was so hard to pinpoint what we wanted. After much deliberation, and some help from the waiting staff, we opted to share; yoghurt chat bombs, the ruby wrap, gunpowder chicken, one of the office worker’s tiffin and some roti.

I felt like my outfit allowed me to blend into the background!

The yoghurt bombs were the first to arrive and set an extremely high standard for the evening. The Pani puri spheres held a perfect mixture of spiced yogurt, creating a beautifully cool sensation in the mouth. They were topped with pomegranate seeds, adding a refreshing sharp after taste which complimented the spicy tang well. The only regret we had was scoffing them straight away and not saving them for when the rest of the food arrived, as they would have acted as an ideal relief from the harsher spices of the curries.

The Yogurt bombs topped with pomegranate and coriander

The gunpowder chicken is described as a spiced chicken popper in a gluten free chickpea batter, and they were unlike any battered chicken I had ever tested. I can’t recall ever trying chickpea batter before, but after this experience, I would be reluctant to shy away from it if I ever see it on the menu. The chicken was succulent, the batter was crisp and the coriander and basil accompaniments were perfectly balanced, what more could you want?

The paneer in the ruby wrap was juicy and delicious and matched the “rainbow of Mowgli chutneys” well. I absolutely adore paneer in Asian cooking and this dish did not disappoint. However, if you are one of those unfortunate enough to not enjoy the taste of coriander, this dish is not for you as it was scattered in abundance!

The curries we were given in our tiffin box were; Temple dahl, House chicken curry and Mowgli House Keema with a side of rice. The sauce from the chicken curry was my favourite and suited their description of “tame but tantalising”. I love a Keema and it is rarely seen on the menu, so I was really excited to try it. It was rich in flavour and almost reminiscent of Lebanese cooking due to the domination of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. I think of a keema as relatively dry curry due to the cohesion of the meat and sauce as one, so I was pleased we had ordered roti to go with it. The Temple Dahl was not my favourite as the lentils had a little more bite and the sauce was little wetter than I would have liked, however, the flavour was still delicious. I enjoyed the presence of the roti and they went down well, but they were a bit thin and my partner and I both agreed that we prefer a thicker flat bread.

The overall meal was stunning and a really enjoyable experience. The setting was beautiful, the food was delicious, and the staff were attentive and friendly. Although the curries were delicious, I favoured the street food dishes and when I return, I will be eager to sample as many more as I can! I would recommend this restaurant to anyone and I cant wait to show it to all my friends and family!