Mrs G is rarely in the mood for pizza. So, whenever she is, it’s action stations and I immediately dig out my emergency pizza slice and secret stash of garlic and herb crust dip.
It was one of those occasions the other week and I remembered that we hadn’t yet visited West at their permanent home in Canton, which opened in March last year.
Owned by Jez Phillips and Ieuan Harry, the same team behind the excellent Ffwnres Pizza in Cardiff Market, West specialises in New York style pizza. West was previously based at Kongs in Cardiff city centre and we had a few excellent meals during their time there.
Their permanent home has the feel of a modern American diner but arguably lacks the same warmth and comfort. It’s the kind of place to eat and go rather than settle in for an evening.
In addition to serving pizza by the slice and by the pie, West now serves coffee and freshly baked goods, including brownies and Basque cheesecake.
Despite having a permanent home and bigger bills to pay, West’s prices are still excellent value. A slice will set you back between £3 and £4 whilst a whole 18-inch pizza weighs in between £15 and £22.
Having previously enjoyed excellent slices of their Meri-Ann margherita and Ray pepperoni pizzas, this time around I was laser focused on ordering a whole pizza to share.
It’s great to see a strong Welsh presence in West’s booze selection, with cider from Gwynt y Ddraig and beers from Crafty Devil and Bragdy Twt Lol. I knocked back a super easy drinking can of Mikey Rayer (£5.25), whilst Mrs G enjoyed a can of fiery ginger beer (£2.50) from Heartease Farm.
As much as I love Neapolitan style pizza, West’s New York style pizza is an excellent contrast to one of the city’s most common varieties. With its thin and crisp base and airy crust, it’s a slice which is easy to pick up and inhale very quickly.
With the option of ordering West's whole pizzas as a half and half of two different types, I chose their Delme (£20) whilst Mrs G opted for their Squatternut Bosh (£22) weekly special. Our pizza came to £21 so I assume that they just take the average of the two flavours you order.
It can’t be emphasised enough just how big West’s whole pizzas are. Served on a giant silver platter, it’s the kind of grand serving dish that would also be an appropriate home for a whole suckling pig with an apple stuck in its gob.
The Delme saw a light tomato sauce and caramelised melted mozzarella topped with coarse fennel twanged sausage, oregano and slivers of garlic with the balancing acidity and heat of pickled peppers.
They were both excellent pizzas and their crusts didn’t go to waste as they were delicious dipped in a pot of garlicky and fragrantly green herby mayonnaise (£1.50).
With baked goods being West’s other speciality, it would have been rude not to order one for pud. A crisp and chewy cookie (£2) was just the rice balance of sweetness, the bitterness of dark chocolate and saltiness.
I’m really glad we finally paid a visit to West in their new Canton home and as far as I’m concerned, they serve one of the best pizzas in Cardiff. If they were any closer to where we lived, then I’m sure I’d be popping in for a slice on a weekly basis.
As a bonus, we had a couple of leftover slices to take home and enjoy cold the next day. Like a nana, I even brought my own foil to wrap them up in…
The Details:
Address - West Pizza, 60 Glynne St, Canton, Cardiff CF11 9NS
Web - https://www.west.pizza/
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