Elements

Elements is slick, shiny & modern – a perfect match for its Cardiff Bay setting. You need to leave the main drag of bars & restaurants to find it, tucked at the bottom of an office block beyond the National Assembly building. On the ground floor is the Elements sandwich bar, while an adjacent flight of steps leads down to the restaurant proper. Here, floor-to-ceiling windows look across a narrow expanse of water in the rejuvenated dock area & the shape of the place allows most diners a window seat. With its white tiled floor, white tables & a long, neon-touched bar, the look is almost futuristic & the menu plays along with many a fun re-working of classic techniques & ingredients: from the grazing menu (a pick-what-you-like selection of small portions) perhaps foie gras with toffee popcorn, or carpaccio of Welsh beef with basil sorbet & parmesan shavings. Other menus include an impressive brunch selection (served from 8am), a great tasting menu & a regular a la carte, where dishes could include loin of Welsh lamb with beetroot, feta & pine nuts or soy roasted duck breast with bok choy & sweet potato.