My much-anticipated afternoon of fine dining in Cardiff has a rather unconventional start. Sidestepping through a gaggle of college students basking in the sunshine, I slip through a revolving door into a huge education hub. The welcoming thrum of student life reminds me fondly of my own university days, but for one panic-stricken moment, I wonder if I'm in the right place. Aware I'm already running late for my booking, I make a beeline to a security guard, who swiftly assuages my fears, directs me to a lift and instructs me to go all the way to the fifth floor.
It's a quiet ascent. Teachers and learners quickly disappear as I get closer to my destination, the cacophony of the campus reducing to a murmur. Then, the cheerful ding of the lift. I step out, looking around in vain for the entrance. I spot a sign that proudly reads The Classroom/Y Dosbarth , while a smaller sign above it proclaims a gold hospitality accreditation.
This is my pit-stop for what I hope will be a couple of hours teeming with gastronomic delights. After all, The Guardian 's Jay Rayner gave it his coveted seal of approval in his 2016 review. The venue sits majestically like a gem at the very top of Cardiff and Vale College's City Centre Campus on Dumballs Road in the capital. I later discover that even its sunshine-filled glassy interior, with huge angular beams criss-crossing the floor-to-ceiling windows, is a bit like sitting inside a jewel. You can read all our food and drink stories here.
During my walk to the restaurant's entrance, a long window on my right offers me scrutinising view into the kitchens where my food will be prepared, the staff donning white uniforms and chef's hats. When I finally arrive, I'm greeted by a posse of front-of-house staff, who offer to take my coat. I decline, but relent after I'm asked again when I'm taken to my table. 'Why not?' I think, handing my jacket over and making myself comfortable in my chair, before my waitress unfurls the white napkin on the table-top and lays it on my lap.
In other words, I take every opportunity to indulge in my fine dining experience for the couple of hours I'm away from my desk. But it would be remiss of me not to mention the unique selling point of The Classroom, which you might have guessed from my long-winded journey to find it. As its name suggests, it's first and foremost place of learning, just like the huge building it resides in. The restaurant is a space for Hospitality and Catering students at Cardiff and Vale College to hone their culinary talent as they work alongside a professional team, both in the kitchens and front of house.
Every Tuesday lunchtime - which is the day I visit - the reins are loosened in a 'student takeover': the young amateurs take centre stage, making and serving up all the food. Any sceptics of the initiative will surely be enticed by the criminally cheap cost - just £12 - for three courses of high-quality, seasonal dishes, with a focus on regional Welsh produce, made fresh to order.
But to wilfully gloss over the amateurishness of my experience in this review would be doing the restaurant a disservice, as therein lies its charm. The student waiters and waitresses are superbly attentive and polite, but their service comes with an endearing dollop of youthful diffidence and hesitancy. A friendly professional waiter shadows them, setting the standard for their performance and teaching them the tricks of the trade in plain sight. He openly tells me about the course the students are on, and how far each has progressed, like a proud father. They call him 'Chef', and he's their first port of call whenever they're - occasionally - unsure what to do next.
The food, however, could easily be mistaken for the deft creation of an expert - and though they must require painstaking effort, each course comes very quickly. The lovely waitress who is assigned to look after me first brings me a healthy slice of freshly baked white bread (which I choose from a bread basket that also had seeded and brown varieties). Pillowy soft and dusted with flour, it's the perfect vehicle for the rich butter swirled into a pot on the tabletop.
The French onion soup, with garlic and gruyere croute, is my choice for the starter. I've always been a bit intimidated by French onion soup, left feeling queasy by the sight of recipes brimming with too much cheese. But The Classroom's version is a happy medium. The decent sprinkling of cheese on the long, thin crouton is balanced out by sweetness of the soup and freshened up by a smattering of green leaves on top. There is a pleasing mismatch between the onions of the dish: soft and tender slivers in the soup, while crunchy fried ones rest on top of the cheese. The soup itself is lighter than I expect. It's easily soaked up by the crouton, which has a delightful crispiness to it, though it could've done with a stronger garlic flavour.
In between my starter and main, my drink - 'The Classroom Signature' cocktail, sans the alcohol - arrives, costing £5 on top of the £12 deal. A mix of raspberry puree, cranberry juice and pineapple juice, I brace myself as I take a sip of it, expecting it to be tart. But, it's not. The first thing to touch my lips is a smooth, light foam; then comes the refreshing and light pink liquid, a perfect blend of each fruit, none of them overpowering the other. My only gripe is that it's not a bigger glassful.
My main is a herb-crusted fillet of hake, with baby leeks, lemon crushed potato and saffron sauce. Not listed on the menu, though also a welcome addition to the dish, is a mix of peas and edamame beans, as well as some sprigs of samphire.
The elements work well together, and what could have been a simple, tasteless dish is elevated by the smaller, stronger flavours. The flaky, rather plain hake is enlivened by the buttery, creamy sauce, which itself feels lighter due to the floral saffron infusion.
The sweet lemony tang of the potato also cuts through the creaminess. The pedant in me notices some small shortcomings - the herbiness of the crust, as per its listing on the menu, doesn't come through as much as I want it to, and though the greens are cooked well, a couple of the leeks are possibly a little overdone.
The portions are filling, and I have to take a break before dessert. I spend a moment taking in my surroundings, sight and sound, attuning my ears to the cries of 'Yes, chef!' from the kitchen that have punctuated my meal. Turning around, I see the kitchen on full show, the student cooks whizzing around as they prepare the food, shouting to each other or the head chef all the while. In the best way, it's a scene straight out of an episode of Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen - thankfully without the red-faced celebrity chef swearing and seething with anger.
Dessert is a delight. At first, it is a tough choice between the options, but the Crepe Suzette with cinnamon, cardamom and star anise ice cream is my final choice for two reasons. Firstly, the ice cream flavours are too intriguing to miss. Secondly, the little note 'Gueridon service' (tableside service) is too exciting a prospect for my inner child. And the show doesn't disappoint. Three student waiters - one actually making the dessert, the other two watching and learning - crowd around the serving trolley, while the professional waiter gives instructions.
A dash of orange juice, a glug of cream and a couple of flambéed crepes later, and my final dish is served. What finesse the presentation of the dessert lacks is made up for in its taste. It's sweet, it's creamy and the crepes are oh-so meltingly soft. I can't taste any cinnamon, but this doesn't ruin the dish - it doesn't need it. After all, the ice cream has enough spice as it is, and it's perfect: I want to shake hands with whoever decided on the delicate star anise and cardamom concoction.
Experiencing The Classroom's student takeover is like finding a hidden treasure: hearty food, with exciting flavours and a virtually professional finish. The low price was the icing on the proverbial cake. I can confidently say it's currently at the top of my list for the city's best value lunch. You can sign up to our food and drink newsletter here.
