It was a glorious spring afternoon when we arrived at Frolics restaurant in Southerndown on the coast of the Vale of Glamorgan.
The reception was as sunny as the weather – gleaming white tablecloths and neat and not over-fussy décor giving a relaxed vibe.
The food demanded not to be placed in any particular pigeon-hole in terms of style. Restaurant owners Andrew and Donna Dudley do things in their own particular style.
And that style is certainly a hit.
When we visited as a party of four the main restaurant was full. There is an overflow cellar restaurant which seats nearly 20 – and that will doubtless come into service as the season develops.
The set menu of three-course lunch on a Sunday was priced at £18.50. That may seem a bit pricey – but, sample the food, and you’ll see it’s a bargain.
Andrew Dudley is the master of his own kitchen and he revels in the challenge of providing a range of different dishes.
For starters, there was a choice of cream of white vegetable soup; Frolics fish platter, crab mayonnaise, miniature king prawn cocktail and cold poached salmon and coriander roll, pea shoots and vinaigrette; goats cheese with a pistachio nut and beetroot lollipop with a sweet red wine and beetroot jelly and cream cheese cornet; spiced oriental style crispy beef salad with spiced mayonnaise; warm salad of smoked bacon, black pudding and caramelised red onion topped with poached egg, red wine syrup.
The mains menu was equally as extensive – roast sirloin of Welsh Black beef with Yorkshire pudding and beef gravy; a selection of Pwllywrach lamb cuts, roast leg, braised shoulder, confit shoulder and rolled breast with lamb gravy; roast breast of free range Monmouthshire chicken, roast sauce; Provence style fish stew topped with gremolata and pea shoots, soda bread, purple potatoes; a tasting of vegetarian dishes, a Charlotte of Mediterranean vegetables and Brie de Meaux, tomato and parmesan tart, a savoury baklava.
And, finally, the desserts – a trio of tarts, caramelised apple, treacle and lemon; American style Baileys and vanilla cheesecake, Bara Brith ice cream; Frolics sweetie shop; Lemon curd panna cotta, peach sauce and chopped pistachio nuts; Frolics chocolate desserts, White nemesis, white chocolate panna cotta and chocolate sorbet.
Our table went for the fish platter, goats cheese, crispy beef and warm salad to start.
For mains, we plumped for the lamb, the chicken and the beef. Vegetables were served as side dishes and were as plentiful as they were delicious.
To finish, we picked the cheesecake, the lemon curd panna cotta, the chocolate desserts and the sweetie shop, which turned out to be a magic mix of Turkish delight, sherbet dips and nougat style ice cream.
All in all, a real treat and there was a hearty round of applause for Andrew Dudley and his team.
The service was swift and pleasant and the bill, including drinks, came to a neat £88.
You can pay just as much at a Beefeater, but trust me the food won’t be in the same class as Frolics.
A return trip will be on the menu shortly.
Frolics is at 52 Beach Road, Southerndown, CF32 0RP. Tel.: 01656 880127
