Why customers are falling under Milkwood’s spell
Chef Lee Skeet’s 40 Days, 40 Nights pop-up restaurant based at Milkwood in Pontcanna is proving to be very popular and it’s easy to see why, as Ed Gilbert found out...
A12-SEAT dining room tucked away in the upstairs of a Pontcanna cafe probably isn’t where you’d expect to find the best food currently being served in Cardiff. But, it’s here in the popular Cafe Milkwood that Lee Skeet, a chef who trained under Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing and was head chef at the Michelin-starred Hedone, runs his 40 Days, 40 Nights pop-up restaurant.
Amazingly, Lee single-handedly cooks each lunch and dinner using just one hob and hot plate.
At £70 for a six-course tasting menu, 40 Days, 40 Nights is very much a special occasion kind of place. You can even ramp up the luxury further with matched wines (£35), a dozen oysters (£25), tuna sashimi (£12) and lobster for two (£40).
Unlike many library-like fine dining restaurants, 40 Days, 40 Nights has a relaxed atmosphere; a soundtrack of hip-hop accompanied our meal whilst there wasn’t a hint of stuffiness from the excellent waitress.
To start, a half dozen native oysters (£12.50 supplement) were beautifully plump and tasted of the sea. A good squeeze of lime and a compelling spoonful of garlic chilli oil brought the bivalves to life.
Snacks were both superb. A thin, nutty rye cracker was topped with a rich smoked mackerel pate that was balanced by a slice of Granny Smith apple. A delicate tapioca crisp, topped with sweet white crab and avocado and pistachio puree, was the ultimate Quaver.
A bowl of smooth and meaty set bone marrow custard might sound a bit odd but it delivered buckets of flavour. A layer of savoury sourdough bread sauce, lightly acidic pickled mushrooms and golden croutons all added extra dimensions to one of the standout dishes of the meal.
Lee’s fish cookery is always a highlight and the three dishes which followed were no exception.
Crisp-skinned mackerel was seasoned with the delicate warmth of mustard and accompanied by the freshness of cucumber puree and grape pieces and the crunch of toasted hazelnuts.
A tender and meaty lobster tail (£40 supplement) was sat on a smooth and sweet pumpkin puree and paired with a glossy chicken sauce, toasted pumpkin seeds and pieces of oyster mushroom.
Cod, which teased easily apart into flakes, was dressed with a buttery beef sauce studded with the smoky hit of two types of smoked fish eggs. It
was another dish which delivered a huge wallop of taste.
Tender duck breast, with wellrendered fat and crisp skin, was accompanied by a light piece of caramelised baby gem lettuce and a rich, savoury seaweed sauce.
The pop of sweet blueberries provided a clever counterpoint to the dish’s indulgence.
A gorgeously creamy and tangy lime posset was buried beneath a rich hot chocolate mousse. The contrast of the two temperatures was genius. A thin, buttery chocolate biscuit topped with intense raspberry powder and a dollop of mascarpone completed the masterful pud.
Rounding off the meal, a pair of thin dark chocolate skulls were filled with silky salted caramel.
We had a phenomenal meal at 40 Days, 40 Nights. Lee Skeet is a chef who’s using first class ingredients and classical technique to deliver modern flavour-packed cooking which is free from gimmicks.
If there’s one chef whose food I’d recommend eating in Cardiff at the moment, it’s Lee Skeet’s.
Whilst Lee’s current run of dates at 40 Days, 40 Nights is fully booked, he plans to announce more pop-up dates or a permanent site in Cardiff after Christmas. Judging by how quickly he tends to sell out, I’d book fast.