Bridgend may not be the first place that springs to mind when it comes to eating out, especially as it's not too far away from Cardiff where you seemingly have an endless choice if you're planning a night at a restaurant.
While the town has go-to places, of course - like Poco Poco, La Cocina Tapas, Zia Nina and Franco's - there is definitely room for new eateries to open up and serve the hungry local population. So no wonder there was much excitement when it was announced a new steakhouse was opening.
From the people behind tapas joint La Cocina Tapas, Marble opened to its first customers in the run up to Christmas and draws inspiration from cooking meats over fire. All the steaks are hand picked and matured for a minimum of 28 days and the menu is also influenced from across the globe. For more food reviews from WalesOnline, click here.
Marbles' website proudly says: "Quality food is our passion. Marbles' aim is to deliver a fantastic dining experience with attentive service in an eclectic setting." So does it live up to this bold statement?
We went along during that lull between Christmas and New Year - Twixtmas - when we had over-indulged on the turkey, mince pies and chocolates and were desperate for some 'normal' food. The moment we walked into the town centre restaurant, with its twinkly lights, exposed brick walls, stripped wooden floors and floral display, it felt like somewhere special.
We were shown to a booth tucked away in the corner and our friendly waitress talked us through the menu. For steak lovers, as well as the usual choice of ribeye, sirloin and fillet, you can choose one of the speciality dry-aged cuts from a cabinet, which are perfect for sharing. There's also a good choice of other mains, including Welsh lamb cutlets, roast cod loin and flame-roasted aubergine.
But first things first... the starters. Sometimes there's not a lot of choice when it comes to appetisers but on this occasion there were at least three things that we were both torn between. The pulled pork croquettas (£5.95), crispy salt and chilli calamari (£7.45) and crispy chicken wings in a sticky teriyaki sauce (£7.45) all sounded incredible but we opted for the sticky crispy beef (£6.95) and the seared scallops (£10.95).
My other half is something of a crispy beef connoisseur but this was, quite simply, the best he'd tasted. The decent-sized portion was presented in a black dish on a thin roti and sprinkled with fresh chillis and finely chopped spring onion. The tender meat was covered in a light coating which added the perfect level of crispness. The beefy pieces were glistening from the thick gooey sauce which provided sweetness but the chillis gave a huge kick to the dish which was probably a little too powerful for those who aren't so keen on spice. Maybe a little pot of mint dressing on the sauce could have helped cool things down.
My four scallops were served on a bed of minted pea puree which was a delight - a beautiful thick texture with a subtle hint of mint. Each juicy scallop was topped with a thin crispy slice of Serrano ham which added a nice savoury element. Another success.
Onto the mains and my partner ordered the sirloin (250g) with the peppercorn sauce which seemed competitively priced at £23.95 but that didn't include any extras. He plumped for a portion of chips (£3.75) and a spinach and leek gratin (£4.95). The steak was cooked exactly how he wanted it (medium-well) and it was extremely tender. The creamy sauce was served in a mini pan so you could add as much or as little as you liked and it provided a lovely kick. The skin-on chips were cripsy and golden with fluffy insides and the spinach and leek gratin was a lovely alternative to the usual peas you might have with steak - crisp around the edges, the bubbling creamy mixture was like a mini cheese porato pie.
I'm not really a steak lover - shock, horror - so I went off piste a little and opted for the rack of baby back ribs (£18.95), sweet potato fries (£3.95) and shared the spinach and leek gratin. Sometimes when you order ribs you get little meat on the bone but this certainly wasn't the case here. Each rib was covered in tender, juicy meat which had been flame grilled and coated in a cherry bourbon BBQ glaze, which was yummy. In fact, it would have been a nice touch to have a little pot of extra sauce as while the meat wasn't dry, it could have done with a bit more coating.
While we were suitably sated after two delicious courses each, we couldn't resist the dessert menu which has such delights as lemon posset (£5.95), chocolate honeycomb torte (£5.95) and and ice cream (£4.95). My boyfriend chose the Eton mess sundae (£6.45) and I was drawn to the lemon pudd until the waitress assured me the trio of chocolate (£7.95) was not too substantial for one person.
Featuring mini versions of a chocolate brownie, Belgan chocolate mousse and dusted truffles, it was a chocolate lover's delight, especially the very light and fluffy mousse, but I proved the waitress wrong and was unable to finish it, wrapping up the brownies to take away! The sundae was light, sweet and filled with berries, vanilla ice cream and crunchy pieces of meringue and was the perfect way to end the meal.
We had a lovely evening at Marble - the surroundings are cosy and elegant, the staff are friendly and attentive but the star of the show is the food. We were so impressed with every course and hopefully that standard will continue. Marble is definitely a great addition to Bridgend and the type of restaurant that wouldn't be out of place in any big city.
Marble is at Unit 24, The Rhiw, Nolton Street, Bridgend, CF31 3BL. Tel: 01656 507815
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