Locke & Remedy, The Old Library, Cardiff

Sometimes you're just glad to be proved wrong.

When I first rolled up to Locke & Remedy, I was expecting something on the lines of a thousand other city centre bars before it: you know, identikit decor, unimginative drinks lists, death by Brakes Bros.

'I've just had a really good veggie burger' is one of those sentences I never thought  I'd say; it's up there with 'I'm so glad to see Chris Moyles is back' and 'skinny jeans look both cool AND manly' in the list. 

But Locke & Remedy quietly confounds expectations on several fronts. Despite being (oh the humanity!) part of a chain, and ultimately coming under the Marstons umbrella, there's enough here to make it a more than welcome addition to the city centre. 

The decor is probably best left to more eloquent pens than mine: muted neutral tones are enriched by deep maroons and purples, while the high windows and ceiling lends it an open, airy feel. Tiled floors, bare wood, suspended bare bulbs: it makes a quietly stylish impression.

But what had me grinning with delight was the cocktail list. Specifically, the inclusion of my favourite cocktail, which is rarely seen in these parts: the Corpse Reviver Number 2. I first made friends with this little number over a Hawksmoor breakfast- indeed, it's one of their breakfast 'anti-fogmatics'- but it's a rarity to find it elsewhere. Its legendary properties are best summed up thus: "Four of these taken in quick succession will unrevive the corpse again."

A bracing mixture of  Cointreau, gin, fresh lemon juice, Lillet Blanc and just a suggestion of absinthe, I can recommend it as the perfect morning heartstarter. It's either not on menus, or greeted by glassy stares at most other bars, with the honourable exception of the Park House restaurant and its Vanilla Rooms, so to find it somewhere central is a joy.

It doesn't stop there; the bottled beers on offer tick all the right boxes (Meantime, Anchor, Flying Dog, Sierra Nevada) and there is a sizeable selection on draught, including Tiny Rebel.

The recent launch event was several cuts above the usual way of these things: this was a return trip to see if my beloved Corpse Reviver had lulled me into an overly generous opinion. 

Happily the short answer is 'nope'. And the longer answer would go something like this...

L&R focuses on burgers and pizzas. That's risky, because it leaves little room for error and the local competition is keen but the strategy pays off. In spades. 

 It would be unfair to describe the burgers as anything less than thumpingly good. With their squidgeability- that essentially tactile impression of how much 'give' the bread and patty have, and how much oozing there is as a result, while remaining a manageable whole- these are surprise contenders for inclusion among the top ranks of local burgers.

With their individually stickered wrappers and their appearance, they put me in mind of a recent trip to the sublime Patty & Bun, and it didn't stop there: these are markedly messy burgers (this is, of course, A Good Thing) which will have you mopping around your sauce-smeared wrapper with your last scraps of bread.

After trying their signature basic cheeseburger at the launch, I went for their 6oz. short rib burger. Topped with slow-cooked shredded meat, this was a real heavyweight. I could quibble that their policy of serving them well-done is an ongoing thorn in the side, though the fault there lies with the prissiness of local formfillers and boxtickers. The meat here is of such quality that it retains plenty of juiciness despite being- in my not particularly humble opinion- overcooked. They use three cuts here- chuck, brisket and flank, all dry-aged, and that attention to detail is obvious in every bite.

Fries go down the fashionable rosemary salt route and are good enough to have you scrabbling around the bowl for the last scraps: sweet potato fries are thick and taste far too good to be thought of as a 'healthier' option.

That veggie burger is a showstopper in its own right, though; tarragon mayonnaise and blue cheese on a huge Portobello mushroom, coated and crispy. It's better than most beefburgers in the area and needs to be tasted to be believed. It's shockingly good: it oozes and drips like its meaty twin, and is as plausible an alternative to a handful of beef as I have ever tasted.

The pizzas are no slouch, either; their wood-burning pizza oven is on display and what emerges is obviously hand-made to order with a range of toppings: ours boasted chorizo Iberico, salami pepperoni and Parma ham atop a rich beef ragu base. Carnivores will be in hog heaven, though I was very taken with their smoked mackerel and king prawn offering, and the goats' cheese and peppadew peppers is excellent.

This is a new face with some class and presence in the Hayes. As whatsisname almost once said, visit without prejudice and be impressed. The breakfast menu looks tempting, too. Just go easy on the Corpse Reviver Number 2s, eh?

Locke & Remedy
The Old Library
Trinity St
Cardiff

Monday to Wednesday, 8am - 12am
Thursday to Saturday, 8am- 1am
Sunday 9am-11pm