Dragon Seafood is where I saw my first whole octopus in the flesh. Normally, I've only been privy…read moreto the deep fried bits, but here was one splayed on cracked bits of ice, just lying there staring up at me. As a native Floridian, a love of seafood is part of my DNA, but I can't disguise my disgust at the overwhelming fish stench emanating out of this place. That said, all of the seafood here appears fresh, and I was pleased to find that the kind shop assistant was on hand to answer any of my questions. The main draw for me was the stack of lobsters in the corner freezer, bringing back childhood memories of my Old Man boiling two at a time in a massive pot and me feeling sorry for the poor things. I ate them anyway, but still. Dragon Seafood has pretty much anything you need if you're a culinary type who craves a delicacy that you can't source at your local Tesco fish counter. Me? I'll just stick to the easy-to-cook frozen salmon fillets from Morrisons.

Has a bright, cheery red sign proclaiming that they sell fish, crab, lobster, seafood and seaweed,…read moreas well as listing a website that no longer exists. Below the sign the shop winder is covered in A4 sheets of paper listing offers galore as customers and staff wander in and out smiling. Dragon have lots of deals, they'll sell you three live crabs for a tenner. They've also got live eels, silver pomfret, lemon sole, sea bream, sea bass, salted cod, scallops, mackerel, clams, pak choi, Chinese cabbage, enoki mushrooms and more. As well as seafood, the shop stocks wild rabbit and pheasant. Oh, and Cold Drinks for those thirsty passer bys.

When I was a kid I used to live in a small Cornish village where the fishmonger would deliver to us…read morein a little white van once a week. I was a typical small kid. I liked fish fingers, fish cakes and tuna from a can. I didn't like seeing my mother prepare proper fish with their fishy scales and their bones and those eyes, especially the eyes. I became vegetarian. Today the fish eyes don't bother me so much, and I am an avid believer in buying local and prefer my flesh eating friends to source better meat and fish, and eat less often. I am not alone. This is one of the reasons that Ashton's thrives. They sell great fresh fish of a wide variety and you can buy it right in the heart of Cardiff. Not ALL of it is local, mind: 'Fish and shellfish is sourced from every fishing port in the UK. Fresh fish is also purchased from various parts of the world, including Alaska, Norway, Chile, Saudi Arabia and Seychelles. The company will also mail order the Welsh delicacy lavarbread.' So if these things bother you, check first. It is one of the largest fish retail outlets in the United Kingdom, employing around 25 staff and their other catering supply business supplies many of the major hotels and restaurants in the Cardiff area. They should know what they are doing too, Ashton's set up shop way back in 1800 and has been in the Central Market since 1890. As well as fish, Ashton's also sell poultry and game. During the game season, wild boar, kangaroo, ostrich, emu, pheasants, partridge, grouse, wild duck and rabbits are available. You can see a full stoclist for fish, shellfish and meat on their website. They also list loads of recipes on their site, here's their one for Smoky Topped Fish Ingredients 4 x 170g (6oz) thick coley or cod fillet, fresh or frozen salt and blackpepper knob of butter dash lime or lemon juice 60g (2oz) cheese, grated 4 rashers of grilled bacon, chopped slices of lemon, to garnish Method Preheat the grill Place the fish onto a lightly greased grill pan. Season. Dot with the butter and sprinkle with lime or lemon juice. Grill for 8-10 minutes (15-20 if frozen). Sprinkle with the cheese and top with bacon. Return to the grill and continue to cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Serve with stir fry vegetables. Serves 4 Hungry? You know where to go.

This is a shop inside the historic Cardiff Market. An old Victorian building that remains a good…read moresource of produce from local traders. As you enter the market you will be greeted by the same smell of fresh fish that has filled my childhood memories of this place. That smell was constantly fluctuating up my youthful nostrils was coming from Ashton's Fishmongers. Your nose will spot them as soon as you enter the market on the entrance located by the Church of St John the Baptist. They're a market trader that offers every variety of fresh fish you could ever want to lay your hands on behind a counter on top of sea of ice. As with all the traders in the old Cardiff Market, Ashton's Fishmongers is an expert in its field, so they will be able to offer expert advice and guidance that you know you can trust.

Oh my! This place is amazing. Sam will hook you up with some amazing selections of the freshest…read morefish you've ever had. I will definitely be back. I had the ham wrapped monk fish. Never had monk fish before but, again, oh my.

Went for the two course lunch offer. Beautiful tasting dishes, large portions, great value for…read moremoney.

This well stocked shop is packed with curiosities (curious to a Westerners eyes at least). Produce…read moreranges from red tofu in an eathenware jar to frozen dim sum pastry and an array of functional and decorative kitchenware. A lot of the food is labelled in both English and Chinese, those goods which aren't labelled in English can be translated by one of the friendly staff and unfamiliar food stuffs explained. Most of the ingredients here are really cheap compared to supermarkets. The dried nuts, beans and fruit are particularly good value and I often buy my wolf berries here. Man Fung also stock a fantastic selection of Sake (rice wine), which I am rather partial to. Top tip: Good place to get presents for your foody friends, as a lot of the packaging is beautiful and the produce unusual. Man Fung Store is open Monday-Sunday late.

A small but well-stocked Chinese supermarket, split across two rooms so if you glance in the window…read moreyou'll think it's only half the size it actually is. I pop here all the time for cooking sauces, it has a great range and is generally a bit cheaper, as well as having a more interesting range, than somewhere like Tesco. There are a lot of snack and novelty items- Pocky (biscuit sticks with different flavours of chocolate on- very nice with coffee), all sorts of different nuts and strange seaweed snacks. You can buy things like noodles in bulk. To be honest I would personally avoid some of the frozen meats here, especially the seafood stuff- not because I think it's dodgy, but because a lot of the stuff stocked here doesn't have any English cooking instructions on it and I'd be scared of poisoning myself by cooking something wrongly but that's just me being cowardly. As long as you're not a coward, and you like Chinese food, then this is a great place to get what you need for Chinese cooking at home. Enjoy.

Disappointing.. This is the second time we dined here. We really enjoyed re first time, however…read morethis time round was not as good. I think the best way to describe it is an expensive restaurant for Cardiff standards, while offering get up and order from the counter service. We all had the fish pie which was lovely, however the price did not reflect the food, even if it was a nice fish pie. We spent many years in London dining, but we paid London prices but did not receive London food or servings to reflect the price. What did not help the venue was the ambiance. While dinner had a great atmosphere, lunch was depressing. Empty quiet and dead light upstairs. There were lots of staff on, however only one could speak enough English to actually tell us about the menu or hold a conversation. Just to ask questions of the menu was an ordeal. All in all it's sad after we enjoyed it so much the first time. Who knows in the future we may try again

What I like about this restaurant is that I know how clean the kitchen is! There is a JobShop at…read moreour university which sends students to employers for random one-off jobs. One day I got sent to Le Monde, to be a waitress for a big event they were hosting - something about the launch of a new wine? Someone did tell me but I didn't really listen that well... Anyway, so I know from that experience that the food is prepared well and safely. Not that I usually worry but it's an extra point. The food here is quite pricey but I do feel that it's really worth it. Sometimes you've just got to splash the cash a little to get some decent food. And it's worth it. I left feeling full of light, delicious, high-standard cuisine. The service was also great. Full marks all round, Le Monde!

You can just feel the ghosts of pirates in this seaside tavern. With its nooks and crannies, it's…read morejust perfect for an illicit rendevouz and talks of treasure over a glass of brandy and the crackling fire. This has got to be one of the oldest pubs in South Wales, it's medieval and dates from 1380. This is one of those places that reminds you how small we used to be - I'm only 5ft 7 and I stoop through the worn wooden doors. I havn't eaten here, but there is also a well respected restaurant upstairs offering a good selection of seafood dishes. Dishes include: Brixham Crab Cake with baby leaves and lemon butter sauce (£5.25); Plaice Goujons with paprika and a sweet red pepper tartar sauce (£4.95); Roasted Fillet of Hake with a chorizo and roasted red pepper risotto ith tomato, garlic and orange sauce for £13.95 For the vegetarians on the day I visited there was: Tomato Fondue, Wild Mushroom and Aubergine Bake, finished with garlic crumb and poached egg (£4.95) and Rosemary and Truffle Arancini Risotto with a tomato, red onion and spring onion salsa ( £4.95). The restaurant opening times are Monday to Saturday from 7pm to 9.30pm. They also offer bar meals between 12 and 2 pm Mondays to Saturdays and evening meals Monday to Friday from 6 to 8 pm.

One of my favorite pubs when I come home to Wales. I've been coming here for 40+ years. Great…read morebeers, lovely staff, exceedingly good food on a great menu, and a building that should last another half millennium plus. And a beautiful spot for a picture that will include a thatched roof and hanging baskets.

A little hidden away but worth the search to find!! I love…read morecheese so this was a wonderful place for me!!! Excellent customer service and friendly wonderful staff! Delightful place. A definite must go if you are in Cardiff! The salad was fresh and interesting and delicious. The cheese board was excellent. The Welsh rarebit was Devine!!!

Probably my favorite place to eat in Cardiff. Every time I go back to visit my family in Cardiff I…read morehave to make a point of eating at madame fromage. The Welsh rarebit is amazing and so is the goat cheese on toast with salad. I totally forgot to take a photo of my food, but I did get pics of everyone else's lol. The Camembert with maple bacon was a favorite too. Parsnip soup was good, but I love the potato leek better. The rarebit and welsh cowl are a must.