Tucked away in the Cardiff student hotspot of Cathays is an authentic Chinese restaurant which serves the most mouth-watering dishes. In Cafe in Crwys Road is the top-rated Chinese takeaway and restaurant in Cardiff according to TripAdvisor so I decided to try it out for myself.

In Cafe has a simple but effective layout that welcomes you immediately. It has around eight tables with a mixture of two-, four-, and six-seaters. As we entered we were instantly welcomed by friendly and prompt staff who showed us to our table.

At 6.30pm on a Monday night the restaurant was busy with a mixture of couples and groups of friends. As we looked through the menu we were spoilt for choice with a wide variety of dishes including an abundance of vegan options that could even tempt the meatiest of meat eaters.

READ MORE: The best Chinese restaurants in Cardiff according to TripAdvisor

As soon as the food arrived and we took our first bite of their salt and pepper chips we knew we were in for a treat. I’ll be honest: once the salt and pepper chips came out I did question if they had brought the right dish as I normally picture this covered in black pepper with vegetables and these looked rather plain. But as soon as I took a bite it no longer mattered as the taste surpassed my expectations. The chips were just the right amount of saltiness with a hint of pepper while crispy outwardly and fluffy on the inside.

I normally opt for the same thing every time I get a Chinese but this time I decided to choose a different main dish and went with the duck breast in hoisin sauce. The duck was tender and full of flavour, doused in hoisin sauce which also gave it a crisp and crunchy texture, and mixed in the pineapple chunks.

As I went with my friend who is a vegetarian we also tried the vegan chicken and mushroom dish in sweet and sour sauce. The dish was exactly what you want if you’re looking for something full of juice and good flavours. The sauce was just the right balance between sweet and salty. My friend said: “I’d go back and have it again tomorrow if I could.” It's hard to disagree.

The egg fried rice was just as you would expect – fluffy, full of flavour and texture. We also had a side of 10 mini spring rolls – we managed half while at the restaurant and took the rest home. It was the perfect snack for the next day proving that In Cafe can provide the best element of a takeaway, tasting just as good the next day. We also opted for the peach iced tea and Sprite but we wish we had tried their home-brewed lemonade as the couple next door to us looked like they were enjoying theirs. If anything I’d go back just to try that.

The bill

Mini spring rolls (£5.20), egg fried rice (£5.30), duck breast in hoisin sauce (£11.90), salt and pepper chips (£4.80), vegan chicken and mushroom (£11.20), Sprite (£2.85), and peach ice tea (£3.50). Total was £44.75.