Swallow Chinese Take Away

Obviously the pun on words is a great innuendo. For this reason alone it deserved a good going over. Slightly at the high price range than most of the other Chinese establishments in the area. Easily the best Chinese restaurant on city road you’d be mad not to give it a go. The service is spot on and the food has never been less than fantastic, its small wonder they haven’t taken over other Chinese places to improve the general trend.
I recommend chicken battered balls with sweet & sour, beef because it’s so tender and the duck in rolls, yummy. You cannot go wrong with this place.

The Swallow is, far and away, the best Chinese takeaway on City Road. Were it not for City Pizza a couple of dozen doors down, it would hold the prestigious title of Absolutely The Best Takeaway On This Road. And for a street with so many takeaways, that’s quite an honour.
Even if the Swallow does ever begin to go downhill in terms of quality, it will always hold a special place in my heart. This quiet, unassuming venue used to be a wonderful Chinese restaurant before the owner became ill, and this was the first Chinese restaurant I ever entered. The service was exceptional, with the own greeting and playing jovial host to the customers, and the food was simply fantastic. On top of this, it was from the takeaway here that I first tasted Wonton soup, and I’ve yet to find a better place to get it from in the city.
The Swallow is an old, family run business that prides itself on the fantastic quality of its food and the wonderful service and personalities of the family that run it. You’d be doing yourself a disservice to drive passed here with a hungry belly.

I love Chinese food. It’s official! And, out of all of the Chinese take aways on City Road, Swallow Chinese Take Away has to be my favourite. As with so many Chinese take aways, Swallow is very much a family affair, and so the vibe when you walk into this really pleasantly decked out shop is one of friendliness and relaxed comfort.
Swallow was first set up as a restaurant way back in 1987, and so has been operative for nearly quarter of a century. Sadly the restaurant was converted into a take away in 2006 owing to the fact that the owner became ill. I regret that I can’t remember his name, but he is a lovely gentile, unassuming man, and although of a quiet disposition, enjoys a sweet and acute sense of humour and is very open and congenial.
The decision to convert Swallow into a take away was not an easy one. The family had worked hard to establish the restaurant and it enjoyed an unblemished reputation. But with adult onset diabetes, the owner didn’t have a choice. Of course, the take away is still demanding as it continues to be very highly regarded, but it allows the owner some free time, whereas the restaurant didn’t.
I’m really pleased to say that the proprietor has now stabilised his condition, and during a recent holiday in the US, he discovered the benefits of walking. I find this fact amusing, as the irony doesn’t escape me. The Americans are accused of being pretty addicted to their cars, and of refusing to walk a hundred yards, preferring to drive the distance instead! So the fact that someone discovered the health benefits of walking in this petrol fuelled country is a delightful little anecdote in itself, but also of immense importance to the man who made the discovery. He is now a little less reliant on the insulin pills, and looks to be in fine health. How wonderful!
Swallow Chinese Take Away offers Cantonese, Peking and Sze Chen style food at really affordable prices. The standard is excellent!
My favourite dish is Duck with Pineapple served with boiled rice. This combination costs me £5.80, and so somewhat incredibly is one of the cheapest options in Cardiff, despite the fact that the standard of the food is significantly better.
Highly recommended!