Most of us are watching the pennies at the moment with the cost of living crisis. I know I am! One of the ways you can save money if you love food and enjoy going out is with tastecard. This is a post in collaboration with tastecard but all words and opinions are my own.

What Is tastecard?

tastecard is a membership program that provides various benefits and discounts at participating restaurants and eateries. You sign up for a nominal amount and use the app or website to book a deal.  At the moment you can have a 60 day trial for £1 so it can be a fabulous way to try it out. After this deal, the price for a yearly membership is £34.99. While specific benefits may vary based on the region and the offers at any given time, here are some potential benefits that users can enjoy.

Dining Discounts



tastecard offers its members exclusive discounts, such as 2 for 1 meals or 50% off the total bill, at a wide range of partner restaurants. This can result in significant savings for everyone. For example, my closest big city is Cardiff and there are numerous offers on dining discounts in Cardiff. A number of the big chains are there such as Zizzi, Cafe Rouge, and Burger King as well as a number of independent restaurants. My favourite is Ask Italian, I don't think I've ever had a bad meal there and the prawns are delicious!. Check out the Cardiff restaurant deals here.

Restaurant Variety

tastecard collaborates with a diverse selection of restaurants, including popular chains, and independent restaurants as mentioned above but they also work with takeaways and fine dining establishments. This provides members with a wide range of dining options to choose from, allowing them to explore new places or get great deals at their favourite places at reduced prices.

Cost Savings

By taking advantage of the discounts offered through tastecard, members can save money on their overall dining expenses. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals or families who dine out frequently, as the savings can quickly add up over time. Using your tastecard you can really treat the family to that much needed meal out at the end of a hard week at school, college or work. 

Flexibility

tastecard often offers flexible membership options, allowing members to choose between monthly or annual subscriptions. This allows users to tailor their membership to their specific needs and budget, ensuring they can enjoy the benefits without being locked into a long-term commitment.

Online Delivery Discounts



In addition to discounts at physical restaurants, some tastecard memberships may also provide discounts or exclusive offers for online food delivery services such as Dominos, Pizza Hut and Pappa John's. This enables members to enjoy savings on takeout or food delivery orders placed through partnered platforms. We as a family enjoy Dominos so having this perk was great for us. We saved 50% off a Dominos delivery with tastecard as we spent over £30, so you have got nothing to lose! 

Other Deals And Discounts 

As well as great dining deals, tastecard offers fabulous discounts on cinema tickets. These deals typically include Odeon, Vue and Cineworld and more and offers save you a big chunk of the box office price. We all know cinema tickets are expensive these days so anything that makes this more affordable is very welcome. As well as cinema tickets members get discounts on days out too at places such as Alton Towers and SEA LIFE Centres, as well as theatre tickets for a variety of shows. Also, you can get 25% off 1000s of coffee shops, including Caffè Nero, with free access to Coffee Club, so cheap drinks for all too.

The menu has similar dishes all year round which does not change, as well as seasonal specials. You can get a decent steak, as well as classics like fish and chips and shepherd's pie. For the more adventurous among you, there are dishes like aromatic duck curry and lobster linguine. They do also have a vegan and vegetarian menu with dishes such as wild mushroom and truffle linguine, and Keralan sweet potato curry.  It was nice to see more vegetarian and vegan options than an uninspiring vegetable lasagne.

We were also given a set lunch menu with two courses for £17.95 and three for £22.95. This menu had dishes such as tomato and basil soup, steak chips and egg, seabream and sticky toffee pudding. We decided to stick with the main menu but before that the drinks. 

Our server was Marina, she explained the lunch menu, and the specials, which included grilled sea bass fillet and a roast fillet of beef. There was an interesting selection of non alcoholic mocktails so we ordered some.

We live about 20 miles from Cardiff and visit on a frequent basis, and when we go shopping there we like to eat out. The centre of Cardiff has a number of decent restaurants and although independent restaurants can be hard to find, there are some fantastic chain restaurants in the city centre. If you are visiting Cardiff for the first time or just want to try somewhere different check out my favourite restaurant chains in Cardiff where you will always have a great meal.

Las Iguanas



Las Iguanas is situated on Mill Lane in Cardiff city centre. A Latin American restaurant serving South American and Mexican food, the decor inside is bright and vibrant. The food is authentic and to be honest some of the best Latin American and Mexican food I have had, even when I travelled around New Mexico earlier in the year. Menu choices include appetisers such as nachos and tacos and main course including burrito bowls, Gaucho steak and Dominican goat curry. 

Ok, I'll confess, I am a bit of a fan of the French restaurant chain Bistrot Pierre.  I've eaten at a few of their branches and they are head and shoulders above the rest of their competitors for the quality of food and the prices. Last year I reviewed the Swansea Bistrot Pierre in Mumbles, so I was excited to be invited to try out the new Spring menu range in their Cardiff branch last week.  Read on to find out what I thought and to get a free drink with your meal!



The Cardiff branch is just off the Hayes, on Caroline Street (affectionately known as 'chip alley' to the locals). Don't let that put you off though as the addition of this restaurant adds a touch of class to the area.

The restaurant is understated and tastefully designed inside and service is pleasant, attentive but certainly not stuffy.



My son and I were welcomed by Erica our server and shown to our table. Bistrot Pierre like to focus on seasonal ingredients and great value French cooking and the menu reflected that. 

We ordered from the A La Carte Spring Menu see below and chose the Salade de canard and the Calamars. I ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and my son a coke. There was a selection of about 40 choices of wine, including champagne, almost all available by the glass as well as by the bottle. 


My Calamars (squid) was perfect. It wasn't overcooked and rubbery, instead, it was easy to cut into, coated in a mildly spiced batter and melted in the mouth. Served with garlic aioli I devoured it in no time. A very good dish.



My son really raved about the Vietnamese duck salad and said it was similar to Cantonese crispy duck but without the pancakes! Crunchy, crispy duck with yielding duck meat underneath, rested on a thin julienne of Asian vegetables.  A smattering of sesame seeds and hints of five spice, chilli and coriander made this a dish packed full of flavour.  A great start to our meal.




For our mains, my son ordered the 9 oz Entrecote or rib eye steak and I ordered the Poulet printanier, a chicken dish with a creamy tarragon and mushroom sauce. 

The steak wasn't as good as expected.  Unfortunately, It tasted as if it was not seasoned and was gristly. The herb butter didn't add anything to the dish and made it greasy. The fries, however, were crispy, light and very good. My son has had steak here before and has never complained about it previously, so I just think it was an off day for this dish. 



The latter dish, poulet printanier, was new on the Spring menu - pan-fried chicken breast sliced and served in a rich sauce of mushrooms, peas, asparagus and tarragon.  You could really taste the mushrooms in this dish and this was further enhanced with the addition of yummy truffle oil adding an earthy flavour. The tarragon really shone through as well. A good dish and one well worth ordering on the Spring menu.



In Bistrot Pierre, most mains come with roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables unless otherwise stated, and the vegetables were seasoned and drizzled with butter. The baby roast potatoes were incredibly tasty. I think they are cooked in olive oil, and you get a great flavour but they aren't crispy like traditional roasties, just a note if you are expecting them to be. 

At this point, we were both full, but I couldn't resist dessert!



We ordered the Mousse au chocolat and the Frangipane. 



The chocolate mousse very good indeed. Rich and smooth and made of the best Valrhona chocolate, it was topped with small crunchy balls of chocolate that added a nice texture to the dessert. It had a slight orange taste but the waitress asked the chef and it didn't contain any. Odd but delicious all the same.



I've had the frangipane before and just couldn't resist ordering again as I remembered how great it was. A light sponge flavoured with pear and almonds, with a secret thrilling raspberry layer. It comes covered in cream and decorated with almonds and pistachios, adding a nice crunch. This frangipane pudding really is a delight and totally moreish and is one of my favourite dishes on the menu. If you like puddings I urge you to order this - you won't be disappointed. 

At this point, we were full to bursting so declined the cheese course and any further drinks. 

We really enjoyed our meal at Bistrot Pierre Cardiff. It was very good indeed the only slight disappointment being the steak.  What I like about the menu is that there is always a decent selection for those that don't eat red meat, like my husband.  Chicken and fish is always featured on the menu, with a couple of vegetarian options, and usually a pork dish too. 
The Spring A La Carte menu has a wide range of dishes and they also do a Spring Prix-Fixe (fixed price) evening menu with any two courses for £14.95, which I feel for food of this quality is a bargain.  The lunch menu has two courses for £11.95 and three for £13.95 which is also a great deal.


The chain also has a groovy Bistrot Pierre app, that allows you to collect points towards a free drink, starter, main course or even two-course meal. I do have this on my phone and it's surprising how fast the points add up. At present they will give you 1000 points if you download the app (which is a free one-course lunch or breakfast), but do check out the website to see if this offer is still valid.  I was so pleased to be given a free carafe of wine on my birthday, just for having the app! 

For my readers today that visits any Bistrot Pierre, and there are 24 around the country, I am giving you something free too! When you order a main course you can claim a complimentary 175ml glass of house wine, a bottle of beer or soft drink. 

Print off code LBPBWCKJ and hand it to your server when you dine quoting 'blogger free drink voucher'. Check out the terms and conditions here, valid until 20th July 2018. 

Tell me, do you like French bistro food? Would you give Bistrot Pierre a try?

Unless you've been to Turkey or are Turkish you may have similar preconceptions to me of Turkish cuisine, that it is all reformed meat kebabs in pitta bread. Well, I have to put my hands up and admit I was wrong.

Last week I was invited to a cookery class at the Saray Turkish restaurant in City Road Cardiff. 



Saray opened in 2015 and have been proudly serving Turkish food since then. Their motto is 'everything from scratch, fresh and delicious'. The meaning of the word Saray is 'palace'. Throughout history, Saray's have always been a place of getting together and sharing different cuisines.

I was joined by my friend Kacie Morgan from The Rare Welsh Bit and Charlie from High Street Beauty Junkie. 


We were met by the very sweet Selma, who part owns the business and Kelly the lovely PR lady. My first taste of Saray's Turkish hospitality was a cup of Turkish tea in a pretty cup. Everyone who comes here gets tea as a form of welcome. For some reason I expected it to be strong and distinctive like Turkish coffee but it was a like a black version of our English breakfast tea - refreshing all the same!


The restaurant is large inside and modern. I was impressed how clean it looked, which is always a good sign.





The menu was well priced, with starters such as hummus from £3. There were many dishes on the menu that I liked the look of. A felafel starter at £3.50 sounded tasty and there was a dish of calamari on the menu at £4 which I thought was a bargain. Of the main courses, the grilled whole chicken marinated in a special sauce caught my eye, as well as the kleftiko, a traditional Turkish dish which is a shank of lamb in a rich vegetable sauce.  Good to see a variety of vegetarian and vegan options too like a tasty sounding vegetable moussaka.