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Taking its lead from the new wave tapas revolution evolving in Spain, Tapas at Bar 44 has pushed the boundaries of most people’s perceptions of Spanish food but if you think this is just another gimmicky fad, think again. Tapas is here to stay and Tapas at Bar 44 is…
RAISING THE BAR
Over the last seven years, Bar 44 has gained an enviable reputation for its fine food, drink and service and has become a must visit destination not only for people in the Vale, but much further afield. Vale Life talks to Director, Owen Morgan about what makes this Cowbridge favourite so special.
Why do you think Bar 44 has become such a social hub in Cowbridge?
I think through sheer hard work really. We’re always striving to do better. We understand that we’re in the hospitality business, we’re here for customers. Quite simply, without them we don’t have a business so our philosophy is to treat customers well and provide them with good food and drink in an environment that they can relax in.
Why tapas?
Tapas is fun! What inspired us was the style of modern Spanish food - a simple manner of cooking, relying on superb produce and the quality of ingredients. Spain is probably leading the world in culinary terms at the moment, so this was our inspiration, and to bring something different to Cowbridge! There is a lot of poor tapas around these days, often just re-heating of food. Our aim is a lot higher.
You pride yourselves on the quality of your offering. What do you think sets you apart?
The kitchen sources only the finest Artisan produce from particular regions of Spain. From superb olive oils, vinegars, pulses and Saffron to the finest black puddings, it’s about the quality of the ingredients. For example we bring in whole Serrano and Ibérico Jamóns and then there’s the charcuterie, farmhouse cheeses and our olives - the very best we can find. Also, we source a Spanish frying flour for our fresh squid. The art is to keep it simplemake food with great flavour, and present it beautifully and simply.
So do you think quality ingredients is the key?
Absolutely, everything begins with that, but we’re lucky in that we have a superb team in the kitchen to turn the ingredients into fantastic food and our front of house staff are excellent. We try to create a relaxed but professional ambience. I think that’s why we’re becoming so popular. Our drinks offering to go with our food is also key.
You also do cocktails. Does that work with the tapas?
Yes, it’s funny, the two seem to work so well together. We have a great selection of beers, wines, sherries and spirits but the cocktails, like the tapas, is fun so I think they complement each other.
It is becoming quite popular these days to pair cocktails with food and our bar team mix a huge range of cocktails, from classic to cutting edge to bespoke - it’s up to you. They’re all made from our extensive collection of ultra premium spirits behind the bar, created with fresh fruit, home-made infusions and, most importantly, a smile! There is a growing trend at the moment of using wine and Spanish Sherry in cocktails, which work wonderfully with food.
So fun seems to be at the core of what you do…
Customers are customers but they’re also friends. We want them to have a good time - to get involved. We want to know what their favourite ingredients are, to interact, to be creative, to create new drinks, to have fun! Life is stressful, especially these days, we’re here to help people unwind, to relax, that’s what we’re for. That’s the Bar 44 ethos.
Tell us about children’s tapas…
We’re so excited about this. Tapas is perfect for children – and why not? Children love fun food and it doesn’t get more fun than tapas – they love the choice and it’s a great way to introduce them to new flavours and foods. It’s great having children here, they bring a nice atmosphere to Bar 44. Parents bring them in after school – it’s really good to see and the parents know we only use the very best ingredients.
You’re also open for breakfast, can I have a breakfast cocktail?
We are licensed from 10am, so we can mix your favourite tipple from then! We make a mean bloody mary with fresh horseradish and a dash of port!
Can I just get a coffee?
Of course, we serve fresh smooth Illy Espresso, which has always been our favourite coffee.
We serve it in your favourite way, all day, every day, alongside a selection of traditional and herbal teas and our famous hot chocolate.
We do get a lot of people who just come in for a quick coffee and a piece of home-made cake. We even have customers from local businesses who use our takeaway hot drinks service – it’s very popular, they call ahead and we have it waiting for them to collect.
So things are going well…
Oh yes, but business is never easy and we never take anything (especially customers) for granted and you can never stand still. We will always strive to improve, and listen to customers feedback, but I think we have a good balance right now.
We’re doing our best but always trying to improve – that’s the Bar 44 way.
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