Sunday lunch at Porro Roath, Wellfield Road

These are unsettling, uncertain times; and is it too fanciful to imagine that, in such times, the comforting old rituals assume even greater importance?

What will a post-Brexit Britain look like? Whither Trump's America? Who on earth is buying all those Ed Sheeran records? And could they please stop?

And what is more comforting- more anchored in the soothing rhythms of familiarity- than the Sunday roast?

Which brings us to Porro Wellfield, owned by the group behind The Potted Pig, so expectations are high. Porro Llandaff is a firm favourite of this blog, after all: and this promises a traditional roast with a twist.

Green banquettes, exposed brick and repurposed wood, a Mediterranean-style tiled floor: so far, so modish. The Sunday lunch offer here will set you back £15 for 2 courses, or you can try three for £20, though the full menu is also available.

Beetroot arancini are a treat: the natural earthy sweetness of the vegetable teams effectively with the heat of the horseradish and the peppery bite of the rocket. It's a novel twist.

Whitebait is one of those things which never palls. Give me a cold beer, a sea breeze, a bottomless bucket of these. Two out of three ain't bad, and a bottle of Roath Brewery's No.3 Tram is an easy-drinking companion (a heftily-priced £6.50), while my wife's Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is dry and ideal with lamb. A light hand with the seasoned flour and some punchy alioli make this the essence of comfort food: the kind of thing which makes you half-regret you have a full main course on its way.

Roast dinners are all about the details, and we all have our own foibles, and as a result it can't be easy to serve something everyone can agree on. The Yorkshire puds are huge, puffed things which laugh in the face of your domestic efforts. Accomplished roasties, with a burnished crust created by a good bashing about in the pan and a thorough basting in scalding goose fat, with that extra toothsomeness from a sprinkling of semolina, are another standout.

Lamb rump (£4 supplement) still has a touch of pink, and the fat has been allowed to crisp up.

Beef is more 'done' than I would usually go for but there is plenty of flavour in this piece of Welsh topside and there's plenty of it.

The twist on the traditional comes from fennel-flecked kale and cabbage; the dreaded boiled carrots have instead been roasted to bring out their earthy sweetness. The cauliflower and romanesco cheese carries the faint warmth of wholegrain mustard.

To finish: a dark rich chocolate torte, a flourless mix which simultaneously manages to be lighter than you'd expect but still dense and rich with a fudgy texture. Served warm with vanilla ice cream, it's deeply indulgent without feeling leaden.

They take good care of children here, with themed colouring and wordsearch activities: this is a relaxing place to bring a family. Sunday lunch here is already popular: hopeful diners were being turned away throughout our meal, so word has already spread quickly. If you fancy a twist on what is still the classic Sunday dinner, Porro Wellfield is very much a safe pair of hands.

Disclosure: I was invited to Porro Wellfield, and all food and drink was complimentary.

57 Wellfield Rd, 
Cardiff 
CF24 3PA

Sunday: 0930-1530
Phone: 029 2240 2200