We tried Bill’s brunch to see if it cured our Halloween hangovers

Halloween is a big night for Cardiff Students. And we can say with confidence, we all deal with the morning after student night out differently.

You may be fine after tea, toast and TikTok; your flatmate may stay in bed until dusk, only waking to ask who wants to go out again tonight. Your best friend may feel so weak that they threaten to spew at any moment, and will inevitably utter those famous last words “I’m never drinking again,” before conveniently forgetting that bold statement by the time Friday rolls around.

But if all of you have something in common, it’s that chances are: you’re always feeling better after a big plate of good, no-nonsense comfort food.

It just so happens that Cardiff is home to two branches of Bill’s, a firm favourite of ours known for their breakfast and brunch.

The great news is: There’s a wealth of outdoor seating spaces, which is a necessity after a night at the SU. The fresh air was much appreciated and made us feel a little less dizzy, and we were free to sit where we liked.

We were served promptly by very friendly personnel who didn’t mind at all that we took so long to choose what we wanted. An iced latte and a really refreshing homemade smoothie did not take long to come at all. Redcurrant, blueberry, strawberry, banana, lime and coconut were in the smoothie, and when hungover, drinking something so fresh is nothing short of blissful.

And soon the plates of Bill’s Big Brunch themselves came; we could smell them before we saw them, and in that moment we forgot we were hungover – in fact we forgot about anything other than that we were absolutely starving.

The first bite is with the eyes, and while the bold white and blue floral plates reminded us of Spoons, it was immediately apparent that the breakfast on them was the real deal.

The bacon looked crisp and lean (no stringy fat in sight), and the eggs were perfectly formed and even garnished with chives. A firm white supported not one, but two, bulging yolks, which oozed delectably when pierced with a knife and were mopped up with toast. Sourdough, if you don’t mind.

The flavours were rich, comforting and overall exceptional. The black pudding was clearly very good quality, soft inside with an irresistibly crispy crust. The sausage was plump, juicy and so flavourful that we ordered an extra one each.

No greasy hash browns here, instead a generous helping of adorable little cubed potatoes, crispy and golden, yet not in the slightest bit greasy. We especially liked that they were seasoned with rosemary and garnished with pink caramelised onions; when dipped in the egg yolks they were unbelievably moreish. The bacon was salty and savoury, and so very crisp; we’re so sick of thick, greasy bacon in cafes, dripping with fat, and today at long last, we had bacon that far surpassed expectations.

Both of our plates were empty when collected, and we could have easily gone back for seconds.

We can tell you confidently that the queasy, wobbly feeling in our stomachs and the trademark hungover lethargy were gone. In fact, the Bill’s brunch had unexpectedly revitalised us so much, that we ditched our original plans of returning home to get back to bed and went for a shop instead. You can ask us about our new Ugg boots and Boss sweater another time…

At £13.50, Bill’s Big Brunch isn’t the cheapest plate of goodness on offer in the Welsh capital, and being students it definitely wouldn’t be a viable hangover remedy for every morning-after. But as we learned very well, you get what you pay for, and that is top quality.

No grease, no fat, no limp or pale components which you’re only eating because it’s a couple of quid. And it cured our hangovers marvellously. So is it a hangover cure we’ll use again? Yes, of course – but maybe only as the occasional treat. It is Halloween after all.

When’s the next student finance instalment again?

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