Banana Tree Cardiff

You're walking down Mill Lane, that slightly scruffy bit between the main drag and the river, and you spot the warm glow of Banana Tree. Inside, it's lively without being chaotic—the kind of place where the bar staff actually know what they're doing with a cocktail, and the kitchen treats Southeast Asian flavours with proper respect rather than dumbing them down. The menu bounces between Thai, Vietnamese and Malaysian influences, which could be messy in less capable hands, but here it works because they're clearly not just chucking things together. The sort of place you'd bring mates for a proper night out, or drag your parents to when you want to show them you know somewhere decent.