Verve 37, “an award-winning wine bar and restaurant” reached out to us here at Waterfront in the hope of receiving some coverage, not only to tell you about their fabulous food but also regarding the special offers they have on for the student body of Swansea! In order to appeal to people with different diets, two of us decided to go together. One is a lover of meat and fish, whilst the other is a coeliac vegetarian, allowing us to cover the menus entire spectrum.
Upon arriving, we were greeted by the bar staff and directed from the bar downstairs to a really lovely restaurant, with candles on the table and soft music in the background. After being sat down with a menu each, we were directed to the tapas section as they are at the heart of their special offers, with the weekday lunch time special offering any 3 tapas for £11.95, or 5 for £22.95 available at both lunch and dinner time.
Jacob
It’s not often that I eat tapas, but when I do, I am sure to eat my fair share! Despite the extensive menu, covering a strong variety of flavours, my eyes were immediately drawn to the minted lamb chops, chicken & chorizo and the king prawns. With some generous portions, I thoroughly enjoyed each dish. My favourite had to be the chicken & chorizo, served with peppers, onions and a smoked paprika white wine sauce. The creamy texture was delectable and was made all the more tasty with the unique spice of the chorizo. The lamb and king prawns were both fantastic, with the mint and garlic of each respective dish being perfectly balanced with the other flavours in play.
Eleanor
I am an example of a very tricky customer. I am a vegetarian and coeliac, and am very aware of how much of a pain I can be. However, when I explained this there was no issue at all and was pointed in the direction of the food I could eat – I was spoiled for choice! I opted for the halloumi and roasted red pepper, and the Spanish roasted potatoes as Tapas dishes. The fried halloumi was the perfect mix of squeaky, salty and moreish. When combined with the roasted red pepper it was as if I were in the Mediterranean on holiday! The Spanish potatoes were equally great; just spicy enough to help me temporarily recover from my (re)Fresher’s flu. The potatoes arrived in a garlic, tomato, onion and chili sauce, topped with cheddar which worked incredibly well. I also combined the halloumi dish with sauce from the potatoes and onto one fork – yum! I was stuffed after the two tapas dishes, leaving me completely satisfied… But there’s always room for dessert.
After we finished, I was informed that there was a gluten free chocolate fudge cake which I couldn’t say no to, even though I was filled to the brim with Spanish goodness (eyes bigger than my stomach is my hubris!). I was given a huge slice of warm fudge cake with some ice cream – which admittedly I couldn’t finish. Tragic, I know. All in all, it was a very lovely evening in a place with a great atmosphere and staff who were very attentive to my dietary needs. I was told that 50 – 60% of the menu is gluten free, but if you make them aware of your need they will try to be as accommodating as possible.
There are also many other deals tailored for students! For example, if you show your student card then you get 15% off the bill, all day every day! This is of course alongside the 2-4-1 cocktails on Mondays to Friday, meaning you get two cocktails for £5.95! Verve 37 also offer a special deal for societies and any dinner socials they might have in mind, such as a two course meal for £15. If you were looking to really indulge yourself with a group of friends, their “Bottomless Banquet” allows you to have unlimited drinks and tapas for 2 and a half hours for £37.95 per person. Also, if you follow their Facebook they run competitions and other seasonal promotions! Adding to the atmosphere, you can expect live music on the last Friday of every month.
If you have any enquiries about this restaurant and the food they offer, you can find them on Facebook, so feel free to drop them a message about anything! I really recommend Verve 37 – their use of flavours was refreshing and delicious, and the atmosphere was lovely.
By Eleanor Maunder & Jacob Fleming
