Category: Cardiff

  • Cardiff – Jollibee

    Cardiff – Jollibee

    20251114_202850

    Due to the buses faffing about, we arrived into Cardiff a little later than expected and so I had another of my marvellous ideas to try a chain that none of us had visited before.

    Jollibee is the Philippines’s rather beloved fast-food chain, a national institution that began humbly in the late 1970s as an ice cream parlour before discovering, with perhaps admirable pragmatism and self-awareness, that people actually preferred fried chicken and spaghetti. Who can blame them? Today it’s a global brand and it has started to expand its operations in the UK.

    20251114_200320

    We ordered at the kiosks, but these are the tempting menu boards. I’m intrigued by the spaghetti option, it’s something a little different at least. As was the pineapple drink option that was listed.

    20251114_200604

    A nice and basic five spicy tenders meal which was entirely agreeable, with the chicken was tender and the coating was actually spicy rather than some sort of bland corporate affair.

    20251114_200606

    It all feels rather on-trend, but it could have been cleaner. The toilets were also rather chaotic, which perhaps takes away from their brand concept a little in terms of being modern and, er, clean.

    20251114_200807

    Liam panicked when the kiosk said “would you like to add something else for a bargain price” and he kept saying yes.

    20251114_201144

    Richard did something similar, including ordering a dessert. I think it was agreed by us all that for a chain, the food and drink here was really rather acceptable. The online reviews are positive and this feels a better value and quality proposition than offered by their rivals KFC, who have an outlet just over the road.

  • Norwich to Cardiff Journey

    Norwich to Cardiff Journey

    20251114_103636

    The excitement of my birthday weekend (the first of two, which is perhaps overly decadent) began on Friday with the trip from Norwich to Cardiff. After Liam had picked me up in his rather lovely car, of which much more on later, we collected Ross and headed to Greggs.

    20251114_103836

    I get a free Greggs drink every week and I went for the Mint Mocha and it didn’t disappoint.

    20251114_121405

    Liam had secretly planned the Saturday activity, but it was evident that it was likely to be heavily amended due to the rain. He went off to make his secret call and came back with a hamburger for me, which was suitably delicious. He’s a very good friend.

    20251114_132800

    Safely into Banbury and the first charge of the weekend.

    20251114_133903

    We had a short walk around Banbury and I’ve already posted about The Exchange pub and Banbury Cross.

    20251114_161123

    We were meeting up with Richard at Gloucester Services and that proved to be just a little too upmarket for some of us, but Richard enjoyed his coffee as nothing is too upmarket for him.

    20251114_160410

    I like services with a Greggs as I have simple tastes, but for those who want to buy artisan bread, there’s that option here.

    20251114_164533

    We then drove to Tiny Rebel (by we, I mean Liam and Richard) which I’ve already written about. With that we arrived at Mercure Cardiff North hotel, but more about that in future posts….