As Jay Rayner acknowledges in the opening paragraphs of his latest review for the Observer, a previous visit to Cardiff in 2016 resulted in a piece that aroused a lot of ire (even if his assessment of the restaurant in question, the Classroom, was broadly favourable). He stands by those comments - and indeed, with hindsight, is probably right to do so. Things have improved significantly since then (as he acknowledged in conversation with Buzz's Elin Evans in 2020) - and, as some local foodies have conceded on Twitter, perhaps his criticisms were a boot up the backside from which the city's food scene has ultimately benefited.
This time around, Rayner is nice as pie, full of praise for the Heathcock as a place that exemplifies just how far Cardiff has come. As the verdict of someone not known for mincing his words or being cowed into pleasantries, the review carries real weight and has me even more determined to pay the pub a visit as soon as possible.
Rayner also takes the opportunity to underline his point about the overall improvement by namechecking the likes of Nook, Heaney's, Uisce, Thomas by Tom Simmons, Milkwood and (in the News Bites section beneath the review) Lee Skeet's new venture Cora. It's a timely reminder of how fortunate we are to live within a short stroll of all of them.
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