Shot in the Dark
(4/10) 'A shot in the dark' started life as an Atlantic coffee company franchise. And just for fun they had a coffee bean roaster. OK it was far too big for a medium sized cafe, but it was a welcome peculiarity and on roasting day gave the shop a beautifully south-American aroma. They became 'A shot in the Dark' and extended the opening hours into the evening. Good news, even if the coffee bean roaster was replaced by 2 leather sofas. And you could even bring your own booze.
Hang on, did I blink? Suddenly in-house drinks are all that are on offer, and now there's been cosmetic surgery to make the place look more like a bar. Despite being closed for some weeks, the management's decided that the best way to ingratiate its way into the customers' affections after the character lobotomy is to pass the cost onto the customer. For a humble coffee house it's now far too pricey and the food used to be better. Did someone order an atmosphere? I'm sorry that's off today, in fact every day.
And now to some other important business:
Staff
If you like your barista to serve other people and have a laugh with the other staff while taking your order, you will love this place. You might think it a 'back to work' scheme for narcoleptics; you just wait and wait.
Tea
Good choice - total of 36 varieties, including Redbush and herbal with organic and fairtrade alternatives. Impressive, but don't expect a teapot.
Coffee
A thing that I like about this place is that they offer a house roast filter coffee. No need to mess about with the silly machine to have an `Americano' (which should be watered down to homeopathic quantities to resemble American coffee). They do have one of those machines for fancy coffees with frothed milk, chocolate, sprinkles and all of the usual razzmatazz - sell one of your kidneys before ordering though (around £2 - £2.80).
Other drinks
A reasonable selection of wines, and the house white is not unpleasant. Beers are all bottled larger and you have a choice of maybe 3. We recommend the smoothies, which are deliciously fr that they are made fresh.
Food
Only really snacks, but they do offer tapas which is, rather like the traditional chinese idea of what a tiger looked like, nothing like it is supposed to be. Having been introduced while they had 2 south american girls working there, it has lost something in translation over the years and is little more than olives and dips.
So......
It's comfortable when not busy. The prices are more than you would like to pay in a coffee house but at least you're supporting a local business. the question is, are you prepared to endure the shoddy service and iffy food to do it?
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Comments
i love that place you have no taste it was very friendly, arty, relaxing ilove it there.you are not open minded.
I concede that recently Shot has improved somewhat. The value for money seems better and the April 1st smoking ban has certainly helped. But next time you are there time how long it takes you to be served when you are front of the queue; it was 6 mins last time I was there, and there was a member of staff in their own little world behind the bar. Waiting...
Bring back the coffee roaster!!
You are so right about the time it takes to get served!
If there is anyone at all in front of you then god knows how long the wait could be - it is like the returns section of Ikea!
I've been a regular weekly customer at Shot in the Dark for years, as it's a relaxed place to catch up on gossip over a coffee.
However, I'm increasingly unhappy with the service and the quality of drinks here - increasingly coffee (house filter) tastes burnt, and last night my hot chocolate had a decidedly "funky" whiff, which made me wonder whether the cup had been properly cleaned.
The food is always good, though.
I'll probably continue to patronise Shot in the Dark though, at least until I can find an equally chilled place to catch up with friends.
Whenever we have gone there for a drink late evening, usually a wine or a beer, it amuses me that everyone else is usually drinking coffee -at 11pm! How can they sleep?
Boo to the new management at Shot in the Dark, I've heard via a Cardiff knitting group, who til recently used to gather there regularly, that they're discouraging groups arranging to meet there. How very unfriendly!
This is a very nice place to spent some time. I went there with my friends few months ago and we enjoyed it a lot.
kittens
Went to Shot for the first time in a while last weekend and enjoyed it more than I have in ages. Coffee was exactly to my spec, although it's still a bit difficult to get served. Didn't eat, but everyone seemed happy. Perhaps the Shot renaissance is now underway.