Alium is one of the latest restaurants to come to Barry, taking over the much-loved Hang Fire Southern Kitchen after the restaurant announced its closure last year. Owned by Cardiff-born chef Antonio Simone, who has built his reputation at the popular Humble Onion in Dinas Powys, Alium opened its doors earlier this month.
'Alium' is a play on two Latin words - 'alium,' meaning 'another,' and 'allium,' meaning the family of species to which onions belong. The restaurant is set in Barry's Victorian Pumphouse, with exposed brick and liquid copper Venetian plastering as a nod towards the building's industrial heritage. The restaurant uses locally-sourced beef from Oriel Jones and crockery from Matthew Jones Ceramics.
We reserved a table ahead of time just in case, but, as it was a Wednesday evening at 6:30pm, the restaurant wasn't too busy. We were shown to a pleasant table with a tealight as soon as we arrived. The restaurant has a lovely relaxing atmosphere, with soft lighting from tealights on every table and lanterns attached to the walls.
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The exposed brick walls are adorned with wine bottles and artfully shot photographs, while the copper lamps and bar tops create a wonderful effect. You feel like you're eating out somewhere special without the stuffy atmosphere of a fancy restaurant.
We were given water for the table and drinks menus immediately by the attentive staff and our drinks orders were taken shortly afterwards. They have three aperitifs on offer, so I went for a negroni while my partner had a cider. The negroni was a perfect mixture of sweet and bitter, and we were able to relax and enjoy our drinks while we chose what we wanted from the impressive menu.
We decided to start with something from the 'Morsels' section of the menu rather than going for one of the starters. Having heard about the Porlock Oysters sourced from just over the Bristol Channel, we decided to give them a go, ordering one portion of two to share. I'm aware that oysters can be a bit of a divisive dish, but the Bloody Mary oysters we ordered were a great start to the meal. They were easy to eat and came at a reasonable price (£7 for two) and the spicy sauce that accompanied them was delicious.
For the main course, I opted for the confit pork belly, served with cider braised cabbage and pancetta, apple, and salsa verde. My partner went for the breast of lamb which came with nduja, tomato and butter bean cassoulet, mint labneh, and hazelnuts.
The staff were happy to answer our questions about the dishes and recommended ordering one of the three sides available to go along with them, which was definitely the right decision. The portions for the main dishes aren't huge, so it's a good idea to order something on the side. We both ordered the spring greens served with sesame and salted almonds.
Both dishes were beautifully presented - it felt a shame to deconstruct them - and were equally delicious. The flavours of each component of the pork dish complemented each other perfectly. The braised cabbage was a particular highlight - it was creamy while the pancetta, which was folded in, provided a contrasting saltiness. The crackling, which can often be hit or miss with pork dishes, was perfectly crunchy and full of flavour.
My partner's lamb dish was also delicious, providing an entirely different set of flavours. The lamb, I was told, came with crisp crackling and tender meat, while the tomatoes in the cassoulet were rich in flavour and went well with the creamy mint labneh. The spring greens, which can sometimes be among the more boring side dishes, were surprisingly flavourful and made a great option for a side dish. The sesame and salted almonds provided a delicate nutty flavour and a nice crunch to the dish.
Our mains were quickly cleared away once we'd finished, so we decided to take a look at the dessert menu. With some more unusual options alongside classic dishes such as sticky toffee pudding, we decided to give some a try. I went for the chocolate ganache with raspberries and pistachio while my partner had the salted caramel panna cotta with hazelnut praline and popcorn.
Both dishes, like many on the menu, are gluten-free, which makes the restaurant a great option for anyone with dietary restrictions. The desserts, again, were beautifully presented. My ganache was rich and smooth, while the sharpness of the raspberry cut through the chocolate to balance out the flavours.
The salted caramel panna cotta that my partner had was also delicious and a more unusual take on a classic dish. While I'd never usually go for panna cotta as a dessert, the flavours of this dish would change my mind. It's a wonderful combination of salty and sweet, while the popcorn adds a nice crunch and a fun element.
Overall, we had an excellent first visit to Alium. The food is delicious, the staff are attentive and welcoming, and the relaxed atmosphere allows for an altogether lovely dining experience. It's a great location for a special occasion, as the main dishes are on the pricier side - they range between £17.50 and £29.50 - but they are well worth the money.
There are a range of different dishes on the menu to choose from and the meals come beautifully presented and packed with flavour. After our experience, I'm sure Alium is bound to become a popular spot in Barry.
