Reviewed by Lee-Anne McCarthy
We’re a family of six with quite diverse tastes in food. From 5 year old twins with an obsession with pizza and nuggets to a 10 and 13 year old who are willing to try most things except for anything containing mushrooms or raisins and then there’s us Mum and Dad who’s love of curry and all things spicy knows no bounds. So to trying and find a restaurant that will merrily accommodate us all and provide value for a family of 6 is often quite challenging. So on Saturday last week we were asked to review Jimmy’s buffet restaurant in Swansea. Immediately I knew there would be a great variety of cuisine that would appeal to all of us.
Often when I’m asked to review with my family a restaurant there’s always an element of trepidation. I ask myself will the little people that we lovingly call ‘Carnage and Chaos’ be able to sit long enough to wait for their food. The prospect of reviewing Jimmy’s in Swansea allowed to breathe easy knowing that my little men would be able to immediately devour the food they saw. It definitely makes Jimmy’s restaurant massively appealing for young families and the very hungry. This was clear to me when we visited as many groups of families dined at the same time.
The restaurant is found upstairs in Salubrious Place. However, there is the excellent provision of a lift so to allow all customers to be able to enjoy the experience without the worry of making the stairs. When we arrived, we were greeted immediately by and member of staff. At the desk payments are made for the meal prior to eating. An ideal system for a quick and easy dining experience. We were able to sit together in the centre of the restaurant. It is beautifully decorated room with a range of tables including some lovely booths ideal for those looking for more private dining. Every table is set up as we arrive with cutlery and drinks menu. Every meal is served with a bottomless soft drink however there are many other options available at an extra cost e.g. alcoholic beverages, milkshakes. As a family, we sampled two of the milkshakes; Oreo flavour and strawberry flavour. Both were like a work of art and were a massive hit with us.
Jimmy’s allows to sample cuisines from a number of different regions. There were child friendly choices like; pizza, pasta, nuggets. The pizzas were particularly improved from our previous visit. They appeared to be fresher and handmade there in the restaurant. There was my own favourite the stir station made to order piping hot a real treat. There was the choice of 2 proteins beef and chicken along with veg and noodle options. I must admit as much as I loved my chicken stir fry Jimmy’s didn’t have my favourite prawns available. Not exactly a criticism but just a personal preference. There were some delicious curries available along with freshly made Naan breads. The curries varied in heat so accommodate all spicy tastes. There were also a range of Chinese meals available including favourites like sweet and sour chicken. For those who are maybe trying to watch their waistline there is a greatly varied salad bar which serves often as a fantastic accompaniment to many of the other meals served. To finish off a fabulous meal there was a selection of desserts. Cakes, cheesecakes, fruit, jelly, chocolate fountain and ice cream. For those with a sweet tooth this would be just the ticket. The only issue I took was with the ice cream, I’m a massive fan of cake with ice cream however the only ice creams available were strawberry and chocolate for me such strong flavour often detracts from the lovely cake provided. I’m hoped for a little vanilla or even some basic cream.
I must confess this isn’t my first visit to Jimmy’s. I visited a long time ago and since my visit the management of the establishment has changed. It was clear from my visit on Saturday that many changes have been made. There seems to have been a focus on the production of good quality tasty food which has resulted in a slight narrowing of the choices available. This for me was a great change. There were still many choices and variations available but these foods were in most instances much better quality and tasty.
As we ate staff were very attentive and cleared used plates regularly ensuring our table remained uncluttered. The only slight criticism was that sometimes we had a need for new cutlery and when staff weren’t around it wasn’t the easiest to get hold of. I would if even though the table is laid with the first set of cutlery whether a second set could be placed in a holder in the centre of the table ensuring the customer has easier access. The same could also be said for napkins. Having small children in the restaurant the need for napkins is almost always essential. Making them a little more available could really help out stressed out mums like me.
We had a great experience at Jimmy’s and would highly recommend them as a place to eat as a family. We give Jimmy’s 4 out of 5.
Rating: 4/5
For more information or to book a table visit jimmysrestaurants.com.
Jimmy’s Restaurants, Little Wind Street, Swansea, Wales, SA1 1ED | 01792 466 444
