IL PASTIFICIO | FOOD REVIEW

Unit 5, The Globe Centre, Wellfield Road, Cardiff. 029 2049 4138 / www.thepastalab.co.uk

It’s hard to know what’s going on in Il Pastificio from the outside but on entry I broke out in a smile as we were greeted not by a waiter but by the head chef, Walter, who was at a brightly coloured counter rolling out fresh pasta.

The restaurant isn’t a big place but it’s well spaced and, in between cooking, the chef would circulate around the diners listing off the night’s specials and generally being the perfect amount of friendly and attentive.

We saw every single meal that night being plated up in front of us and, as they all looked fantastic, I couldn’t help worrying if I had made the right choice. As soon as I dug into my main, the ravioli aperti (which came a baked fillet of trout, asparagus and roasted tomato dressing), I was more than happy with my decision. The dish was so well thought out, everything perfectly balanced and a small drizzle of lemon really made the whole thing pop. My partner had a delicious gettuccine salsiccia e goronzola (pasta with home made sausage and gorgonzola in a white wine sauce) that was creamy without being heavy.

Pretty full at this point, we ummed and ahhed about dessert but decided to try one after overhearing other customers talked excitedly about it. I went for the torte di mele e more (apple and blackberry torte). This fruity pudding was one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. The pastry was perfectly cooked, the fruit was well balanced and it was servec with a gorgeous pistachio ice cream that added a marzipan-like edge.

The whole night was fantastic with great food and an atmosphere to match. I don’t think it’ll we be long before our return and I would highly recommend Il Pastificio to anyone who wants some high quality, carefully crafted Italian food.

 
words HEATHER ARNOLD