Porthcawl’s Cosy Corner Lounge is an independent restaurant and bar that sounds like it should be part of the 250 strong Loungers chain, with its name an uncanny cross between the Cosy Club and Juno/Ocho/Fino Lounge (delete as appropriate).
In fact, during our Saturday lunchtime visit to Cosy Corner, a couple of groups who were clearly expecting something more run of the mill like the above establishments, came in, sat down, looked at the menu, got up and left.
It was very much a case of their loss as Cosy Corner is far better than any chain restaurant or bar that we’ve ever visited.
With its combination of wooden beams and industrial metal fittings, Cosy Corner has a warm and relaxed nautical vibe. In keeping with the maritime feel, their star attraction is the sea view, which we admired on a characteristically grey 2024 day in Wales. On a sunny day, I bet it would be lush to sit outside on their terrace and watch the world go by.
An equal amount of thought has also clearly gone into Cosy Corner’s cocktail menu, which features creative concoctions like a Yuzu 75, Coconut & Szechuan Mai Tai, and Thai Spiced Pineapple Daiquiri.
As we were about to set off for a decent hike after lunch, neither of us wanted to get on the booze. However, both alcohol-free cocktails we tried were excellent. A Yuzu Shandy (£5) delivered on its promise of crisp alcohol-free lager twanged with a fragrant hit of citrus whilst an Elderflower Mule (£5) combined the warmth of ginger beer with fruity apple and fragrant elderflower.
With its seaside location, it’s great to see that fish cookery is a real strength at Cosy Corner.
We were advised to order the Portchawl caught seabass (£14.50), which had been brought ashore just over the road, and it was a fine recommendation. The thick fillet of fish was beautifully flaky yet hyper-crisp of skin and accompanied by a rich and silky chilli and tomato sauce and crisp and cleansing kimchi with the most delicate of funks.
A meaty octopus tentacle (£13) with a crisp, lightly charred exterior was coated in a well-spiced marinade. Chilli ponzu dipping sauce, served in a pot on the side, delivered a big savoury note of soy and fragrant citrus.
Cosy Corner’s meat dishes were very good too. A trio of boulder-like beef croquetas (£9.50) were stuffed with cubes of tender slow-cooked beef that were held together with a meaty gravy cum bechamel. They were dotted with blobs of gochujang alioli which added a lick of spice.
Mammoth nuggets of Korean crispy chicken (£11.50) were exceptionally juicy and coated in a light crisp batter which was drenched in a sweet, savoury, sour and spicy, and sesame-twanged gochujang-based sauce.
A bowl of golden triple-cooked chips (£4), which were all rugged gnarly edges and fluffy interiors, were accompanied by a flavour-packed alioli which had been spiked with Cosy Corner’s homemade Indonesian sambal. The chips also came in very handy for mopping up all the delicious sauces on our other dishes.
Rather stuffed by this point, we ordered a single dessert to share. A knickerbocker glory glass of the creamiest yuzu posset (£8.50) was cut with just the right amount of sharp citrus whilst a frisbee of crumbly and buttery shortbread was the ideal pairing.
If Cosy Corner was on our corner we'd certainly be regulars. We're both big fans of their huge-flavoured small plates, creative cocktails and friendly service, and it's definitely worth a trip down the coast to Porthcawl to check it out.
The Details:
Address - Cosy Corner Lounge, 33 Esplanade, Porthcawl CF36 3YR
Telephone - 01656 503245
