REVIEW: THE SIBLING, ROATH, CARDIFF

WHEN you buy first rate produce there’s really very little you need to do with it other than let the ingredients speak for themselves.

It’s certainly a mantra which rings true at Sibling, a brother and sister run coffee shop and wine bar, which recently opened in a former Roath brothel.

Having visited for an excellent coffee and cookie on their opening day, a return for their first evening of small plates and natural wine was inevitable.

Open on Friday and Saturday evenings from 6pm till 10pm, Sibling’s stylish yet compact space is a lovely space to spend an evening grazing and drinking. I’d recommend getting there early as it’s walk-ins only and all the tables were snapped up pretty sharpish after our 6pm arrival. Sibling has a very good range of natural wines by the glass or bottle and we enjoyed a berry-rich and very drinkable lightly chilled Cuvee Crush

(£22) from the Loire Valley. Small plates were all simple yet packed with flavour.

With only a small counter space to construct each dish, out of necessity, all of the dishes are cold. Dishes were brought out as and when they were ready and it made for a well-paced dinner.

Slices of bronze crusted Ty Melin sourdough (£2.50) were thickly slathered with golden cultured butter.

Olive oil rich salted crisps were draped with plump vinegary anchovies (£4.50). The combination was like a luxury take on salt and vinegar crisps. A celeriac remoulade (£4.50) saw tangles of the earthy root vegetable coated in a creamy and delicately mustardy dressing with the acidic punch of cornichons. Slightly too fridge cold crimson fleshed duroc ham (£7.50) was laced with rich fat. As it warmed up and the fat started to melt, it became a much more delicious prospect.

Peppery slices of crisp radish (£3.50) were scattered over slices of toasted sourdough that were thickly spread with creamy butter. A lovely flavour combination, it wasn’t quite as virtuous as it appeared on the surface.

An excellent cheese selection (£7) included creamy and funky brie-like Baron Bigod, light and salty Yorkshire Blue, a fresh and creamy semi-hard Manchego and enjoyably whiffy Alpine

cheddar.

Smoked paprika rich chorizo and more delicately flavoured salchichon (£5) were a lovely pair of snacking sausages.

For dessert, a slice of chocolate and fig tart was an absolute cracker; I regret sharing a slice. A thin and crisp chocolate pastry case was filled with a slightly gooey brownie-esque interior. Topped with fragrant fig slices and accompanied by a good dollop of mascarpone, they balanced the tart’s richness nicely. We had a great fun evening at Sibling. With a warm welcome from sibling duo Georgie and Will, a cool vibe, interesting wines by the glass and delicious small plates, it’s a lovely addition to Roath’s food and drink scene. ■■The Sibling, 39 Lochaber Street, Roath, Cardiff CF24 3LS