Stella Italia, Cardiff Indo-Italian restaurant review

Back in 2021, when I wrote a review of Whitchurch Road’s Vivo Amigo, an enjoyable yet eyebrow raising Indo-Mexican fusion restaurant, I asserted that some culinary crossovers make a lot more sense than others.

Whilst Indo-Mexican food was just about understandable, I declared that Indo-Italian cooking was a step too far.

Fast forward to 2025, and the people behind Vivo Amigo have only gone and launched Stella Italia…an Indo-Italian restaurant.

Whilst my scepticism for Italian-Indian cuisine was only slightly diminished, my curiosity got the better of me and I of course had to check it out.

Located next door and interconnected to Vivo Amigo, Stella Italia’s name, signage and interior don’t give much away in terms of the fusion cuisine on offer. With its red-checked tablecloths and paintings of Venice, this could be any other Italian restaurant. Perhaps a name like Just like Naana used to make or The Gateway of Italy would provide a more obvious indication.

Stella Italia’s menu doesn’t go all in when it comes to fusion cooking either. Their starters and desserts are solely Italian, with familiar options including calamari fritti, sundried tomato arancini and tiramisu. When it comes to the drinks selection, however, draught Cobra and mango lassi provide a nod towards India.

It’s only with Stella Italia’s main dishes where the Indo-Italian fusion cooking is really unleashed. Whilst there’s a selection of classic pizza and pasta, Indo-Italian options include spaghetti mutter keema, penne butter chicken, and butter chicken curry calzone, which also comes filled with biryani.

To start, a trio of coarsely ground and loosely packed beef polpette (£6.50) were tender, honked nicely of garlic and were sat in a thick and fruity tomato sauce with a good grating of savoury parmesan. On the side, soft crumbed pieces of sourdough garlic bread were a lovely mop for all that sauce. This was a very tasty starter albeit the kind of thing you’d find in many Italian restaurants.

Onto the mains and I can only apologise that I that I didn’t order saag paneer spaghetti. That’s one step too far even for my usually adventurous palate.

However, Stella Italia’s Neapolitan style pizzas really are very good indeed. Made with slow-proofed sourdough, they have a thin base and a soft and airy crust. They’re certainly better than some from places I’ve visited who profess to serve authentic Italian pizzas.

Out of the two pizzas I tried across two visits, the Calicut beef (£12.95) was the definite winner. Plenty of hunks of deep-spiced slow-cooked beef combined well with the melted mozzarella, a dusting of parmesan, and a scattering of fragrant coriander and curry leaf. A drizzle of sriracha mayo added a nice extra hit of tangy spice but it was slightly unusual in the fact that it brought a third national cuisine into the mix.

A chilli paneer pizza (£12.95) was also very tasty but similar in flavour with its use of sriracha mayo, coriander and curry leaf. Arguably, it was less successful because of the cheese-on-cheese action, which meant it was richer yet less complex in flavour. Whilst the cubes of lightly spiced and sweet paneer were very tasty, I think they could have taken a bigger hit of spice. However, they did work very well with crisp mixed peppers and red onion slices that added to the chilli paneer vibe.

Gnoccho fritto (£4.95) were the most interesting sounding of the desserts on offer. However, the mound of dense miniature doughnuts were rather unlike the light and airy examples that I've eaten elsewhere. Still, at least they were crisp and grease free and lightly dusted with cinnamon sugar, drizzled with sweet chocolate sauce and accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

A cup of frothy, sweet, creamy and well-spiced masala chai (£2.95), however, was excellent. It’s worth popping in just for a cuppa if ever you fancy a brew.

I really enjoyed Stella Italia’s pizzas and their front of house team are excellent. Whilst Indo-Italian cuisine will still be eyebrow raising to many (including myself), I think perhaps Stella Italia has missed a trick by not leaning in even further into their fusion cooking. Why not throw the kitchen sink at it and serve starters like biryani arancini or masala spiced panelle with chutneys as well as desserts like chai spiced tiramisu or cardamom panna cotta? After all, I'd imagine a lot visitors are there because they're curious to try Indo-Italian food. 

The Details:

Address - Stella Italia, 136 Whitchurch Road, Cardiff CF14 3LZ

Telephone - 029 2297 2017

The Cook House, Ouseburn, Newcastle restaurant review

It’s a testament to how exciting I find a restaurant's cooking when I try and replicate the dishes that I've eaten at home.

After visiting Long Friday in Jesmond, I had a crack at making their cacio e pepe beans as soon as we got back to Cardiff.

Now, having visited their sister restaurant The Cook House in Ouseburn, I’m definitely going to have a bash at both the salad dishes we devoured.

Owned by cook, restaurateur and food writer Anna Hedworth, The Cook House stands out as a brooding black brick beacon in the middle of Newcastle’s Ouseburn Valley.

Their dining space is set over two floors, a subterranean bar area and a much brighter upstairs room where there you can watch the chefs at work in an open kitchen.

It’s no exaggeration to say that I wanted to order every dish on offer on their eclectic menu of small plates. I shed a tear that plates like pork, pistachio & sage terrine; beef shin ragu on sourdough toast; and ox tongue with English mustard aioli didn’t make the final edit.

The Cook House has an interesting selection of wines by the glass and even a couple on tap. We both started with some fizz, a minerally Albert di Conti pet nat blend of sauvignon and chenin blanc (£7.50) and a super dry L’archetipo Susumante (£8), both of which I’d class as enjoyably interesting rather than delicious. Much more successful was a glass of briochey Match Play champagne (£13) and a very gluggable Vina Albergada rioja (£5).

We kicked off with a belter of a snack – dinky warm and nutty pieces of rye bread (£8) were topped with super smooth and decadent chicken liver parfait that was punctuated by the fruity acidity of pickled cherries.

Our table was quickly covered with a procession of plates.

Lightly battered tempura cauliflower (£11) was just the right side of al dente and sat in a pool of comfortingly creamy coconut curry sauce.

A little pie (£12) really did live up to its billing, especially when considering the usual generosity of northern portions. Despite its diminutive size, it was excellent. A golden crisp crust (I think it must have been suet) had a soft-sided interior that was filled with tender shreds of spiced slow cooked lamb. The kicker was a thick courgette ketchup with a fiery punch of harissa.

A pair of salads were nothing short of brilliant.

Vibrant purple and slightly bitter radicchio leaves (£9) were topped with soft and sweet roasted grapes, crunchy and toasty roasted hazelnuts, and creamy and tangy whipped Elsdon goats’ milk cheese. It had a bit of everything going on – salt, sugar, acidity, creaminess and crunch.

 

Verdant spring greens (£9) were coated in a creamy and nutty tahini dressing that was punctuated by the fragrant acidity of blood orange and crunch of toasted seeds. It’s so nice to see salads on offer that aren't just composed of the usual suspects.

Finally, light and soft crumbed focaccia (£12) was topped with slices of tender fleshed, fat striped, spiced pastrami. Crème fraiche with a delicate kick of horseradish and sweet and zingy pickles added extra layers of flavour.

Rhubarb and custard tart (£9) is pretty much my dream dessert, so it was an essential order. A vision in pink, the combination of silky-smooth set custard and sweet and fragrant rhubarb in jelly were both great. However, the pastry case was disappointingly devoid of any crispness. Over the years of writing this blog, I think I’ve been let down by more soft-crusted tarts than anything else #FirstWorldProblems.

In contrast, Mrs G’s dessert hit the bullseye. A light and crisp meringue (£9) was topped with a bevy of treats – whipped cream with an extra note of complexity from the addition of fennel, sweet and zingy blood orange curd, slices of cleansing blood orange, and the crunch of pistachio.

We had a delicious lunch at the Cook House that was packed with interesting flavour combinations and textures. And, I don't think I've ever waxed lyrical so much about a pair of salads. My only minor quibble is over a few of the un-northern portion sizes - I guess it serves me right for not ordering more carbs. 

The Details:

Address - Cook House Foundry Lane Studios, Foundry Lane, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 1LH

Web - https://www.cookhouse.org/

Telephone - 0191 276 1093

Asador 44, Cardiff set lunch review 2025

Whilst Asador 44 is still always close to the top of my list of Cardiff’s best restaurants, it’s been over five years since it last appeared on the blog.

So, whilst this isn’t an ‘AD | exclusive first look’ or a ‘sneak peak [sic]’ of a new restaurant to visit, it’s a reminder about one of the city’s best hospitality businesses.

Whenever I’ve ever visited a Grupo 44 restaurant over the last 13 years, I’ve always found that the food, service, booze, and atmosphere have all hit the mark. An impressive feat of consistency.

With Mrs G’s mother’s birthday falling on a Monday, a notoriously tricky day of the week for finding a good restaurant that’s open, Asador 44 was the obvious candidate for the festivities.

As the name suggests, Asador 44 is inspired by Spanish asadors, where steak, fish, vegetables and various cuts of meat are lovingly grilled over charcoal. Standout sharing dishes on Asador 44's menu include the likes of Spanish ex-dairy sirloins, slow-cooked Welsh lamb shoulder, and whole turbot.

But, their Monday to Friday £35 three course set lunch menu, which we all plumped for, takes some beating when it comes to bang for your buck.

Wines by the glass all hit the mark, from Deutz Champagne (£14) and Vilarnau Cava (£6.50) to a house UVA 44 Albarino and Godello white blend (£6.50) and Barahonda Monastrell red (£6.30).

To keep the wolf from the door we snaffled fat slabs of smoky chargrilled sourdough (£4.50) that were served with porky, paprika-twanged sobrasada butter and top notch gordal olives (£4.90) that were elevated with a scattering of lemon and parsley.

To start, crisp-skinned, lightly charred oily mackerel was accompanied by a creamy ajo blanco, cleansing grapes and salty sea herbs. It was a first-rate bit of fish cookery. Mrs G’s mum also very much enjoyed a vegetarian dish of wild mushroom and aubergine with root vegetable pisto.

The first main was an absolute belter of a meaty hake fillet served with broccoli and capers scattered with a chorizo crumb. It says a lot that Mrs G didn’t allow me more than a single mouthful.

My main was as good any rice dish that I’ve eaten lately, and we’ve just got back from Alicante. A belter of a crusty edged Welsh short rib nudged off the bone with ease and was sat on a bed of seriously savoury and meaty arroz dressed with vibrantly herby salsa verde. The cast iron pan in which the rice was cooked and served enabled the formation of an addictively crusty soccarat at its base.

Crisp and salty olive oil fries were one of the two included side options. They were of course my pick and alongside the rice formed an unnecessarily indulgent Spanish take on half and half. I wonder if they call it mitad y mitad over there… or perhaps it’s just a Welsh thing?

A heritage tomato salad was made with sweet ripe toms with bags of flavour that were drizzled with quality olive oil, moscatel vinegar and savoury dried black olives. It was certainly the more sensible option out of the two side dishes.

For dessert, a dollop of dark chocolate mousse had a thick almost ganache like texture. Sprinkled with salt and accompanied by a fudge-like brown butter ganache, and a dinky shortbread round, it was a rich yet very tasty dessert. I think perhaps it would have been even better if the main component had a lighter texture as it was all a little heavy.

A crème Catalan choux bun (£9) was a very clever riff on a classic Spanish pud. A light and crisp pastry bun was filled with citrus twanged egg rich custard and topped with cleansing segments of blood orange and candied pistachios.

As you can already probably guess, we had a cracker of a lunch at Asador 44 and once again everything hit the mark. Whether it’s a weekday set lunch, a Sunday roast or dinnertime blowout, it’s undoubtedly one of Cardiff’s best restaurant options.

The Details:

Address - Asador 44, Quay Street, Cardiff CF10 1EA
Web - https://asador44.co.uk/

Telephone - 029 2002 0039

Shiraz Grill, Whitchurch Road, Cardiff Persian restaurant review

When is a kebab shop not a kebab shop? When it’s a Persian grill house hiding in plain sight.

To the casual passerby, Shiraz Grill on Whitchurch Road gives off the same impression as any other kebab shop.

With its plastic signage, bright lighting, functional decor and a layout dominated by a takeaway counter with just a trio of tables for dining in, this seems like the kind of place to come for a mixed doner and chips.

But, Shiraz Grill is an entirely different beast.

This Persian grill house’s plasma screen menu features exciting sounding starters like mast moosir (shallots mixed with yoghurt) and panir sabzi (mint, tarragon, basil, radish, feta and walnuts). In the grill section, options include lamb liver, chenjeh (marinated lamb neck fillet), and sea bass.

The friendly chef saw us gawping at the menu for an age and talked us through the different cuts of meat on offer. We settled on one lamb and one chicken dish.

Whilst waiting for our starter, we were brought generous baskets of fresh herb salad. The potent mix of basil, coriander and mint was delicious dressed with a squeeze of orange juice (I’m not sure if that was the correct protocol or not). It certainly made a nice change to the usual kebab shop offering of lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, tomato and onion.

To start, a whopping bowl of kashk bademjan (£4) was one hell of a dip. A thick mix of aubergine pulp, garlic, whey and walnuts topped with crispy onions made for an addictively earthy, smoky and herby flavour combination.

We dolloped it liberally over a pair of pleasingly soft and stretchy complimentary warm naan.

Both our mains were presented on ornate platters, elevating our understated surroundings into a banquet fit for royalty.

Saffron chicken, aka joojeh (£10.50), saw a skewer of juicy, fragrant and char-licked meat accompanied by a gargantuan portion of impeccably fluffy rice as well as sweet and soft grilled tomatoes and lightly bitter green peppers. Perched on top of the rice was a couple of packets of butter, in case you wanted to lux things up even more.

Soltani (£15) combined two different types of lamb. Kubideh, which was made with super juicy and well-seasoned minced lamb, was definitely the standout of the pair. Barg, made with lamb loin fillet had very good flavour but a fair amount of chew.

Chilli sauce was bought in but it had a really good fiery heat and punch of acidity. I think I might try and pick up a bottle for my kitchen table. 

Whilst Shiraz Grill might look understated, this is a lovely Persian restaurant. From the warm welcome to the spotless interior and prettily presented food, it’s a welcome addition to Whitchurch Road’s diverse array of restaurants.

Whilst they don’t serve alcohol, it’s handily located just a few metres over the road from Pop n Hops. So, you can also have a few halves of excellent craft beer before or after dinner.

The Details:

Address - Shiraz Grill, 200a, Whitchurch Road, Cardiff, Wales, CF14 3NB

Web - https://shiraz-grill.co.uk/

Ffos Caerffili, Caerphilly street food market review

Chris “Flamebaster” Roberts’ new TV series Chris Cooks Cymru is one of the best Welsh cookery shows we’ve seen in years. It was so addictive that we binged it in two sittings on iPlayer.

Chris, a former care worker from Caernarfon, is a natural presenter who knocks up delicious looking fire food and clearly loves guzzling Welsh food and drink as much as I do.

Each episode focuses on the food scene in a different Welsh towns or city. Watching the series immediately made me want to pack my bags and set off on a gastronomic tour of Cymru.

Fortunately, Caerphilly, the focus of one the episodes, is just up the road. So, we got off our backsides and headed to Ffos Caerffili, a shipping container street food market and retail court.

Ffos Caerffili is home to a range of retail outlets including a butcher, fishmonger and off licence. But we were there to nosh our way around their compact selection of six street food vendors, which includes Bab Haus Mex, Acme Burgers, Estraneo Pizza, and Bao Selecta.

Whilst Ffos Caerfilli is primarily an outdoor set up, it's useful to know that there’s plenty of undercover seating. The upstairs seating area is the lightest and has the best views of the always impressive Caerphilly Castle.

Ffos Caerffili’s beer selection is better than any other street food market I’ve visited in Wales. With two beers on tap from Caerphilly-based Dark Element, arguably the most exciting new brewery in Wales, we knocked back half pints of their hoppy and easy drinking Earthbound and Nostalgia pale ales. There were also a couple of beers on tap from Cardiff’s ever reliable Crafty Devil.

 

Food ordering takes place via QR codes on tables and service was impressively speedy, even on a busy Saturday lunchtime.

Leyli Homayoonfar’s Bab Haus are bona fide street food royalty with outlets in Newport Market and Barry Goodsheds as well as a Smoke Shop HQ just up the road in Bedwas. Leyli’s whopping flavoured Mexican, Persian and American flame food always packs in so much flavour.

On the menu at Bab Haus Mex are loaded nachos, burritos, tacos and burrito bowls. But, there’s no getting past their signature smoked beef birria tacos (£12.90) which are as good as any street food dish I’ve eaten in the UK.

A pair of meat juice-soaked corn tortillas were packed to the edges with shreds of super tender, meaty and well-spiced smoked beef birria that were coated with a golden rim of crusty melted mozzarella. Additional pops of flavour come from zingy tajin spice powder, fresh coriander, pink pickled onions, and an excellent haus hot sauce. The kicker was a pot of beef consommé, which was more reminiscent of a thick and spicy beef gravy that happened to be studded with even more chunks of beef.

Acme Burger is a sister to Cardiff stalwarts Dusty’s Pizza and their menu divides its focus between smashed burgers, buttermilk chicken sandwiches, and loaded fries.

This was the second bacon double cheeseburger (£12.50) which I’d eaten from Acme in the space of two weeks, and it was even better than the first one. It was a meaty mess that required at least three napkins. 

A golden squidgy steamed challah bun was home to a pair of smashed patties that had a really good beefiness, two types of oozy cheese, crisp smoked streaky bacon, a sweet and savoury onion relish and whipped bacon cream cheese.

It’s been a long while since I’ve eaten a bao from Bao Selecta, who also have a permanent home in Cardiff Market, but their vegan crispy beef bao (£10) were still just as good as a remember them.

A pair of soft steamed buns were loaded with crisp pieces of battered seitan coated in a sweet, sticky and spicy chilli ginger glaze as well as richness balancing pickled cucumbers and onions. The meaty chew of the seitan meant this vegan dish did a very impressive job at imitating Chinese takeaway crispy chilli beef.

On the side, a pot of kimchi slaw (£3.75) was excellent. Crisp, cleansing, delicately spicy and funky it was a lovely bit of freshness in contrast to all the other rich dishes we ate for lunch.

On our walk back to the car we popped into Fablas ice cream parlour, who also have branches in Cowbridge, Penarth and Porthcawl. Their range of creative flavours, which includes lemon curd, Ruffles, crème caramel and jaffa cake, is a refreshing change from the bog standard.

Both flavours in our double scoop tub (£4.75) were enjoyably smooth, thick, creamy – excellent rum and raisin and Dubai chocolate, which combined pistachio ice cream topped with crisp shreds of kataifi pastry and shards of white and milk chocolate.

We had a corker of a lunch at Ffos Caerffili. With its small but well-curated line-up of street food vendors and excellent selection of craft beer, it’s a lovely spot for a bite to eat. Next time we visit I’m definitely going to get the train so we can make more of a dent in the Dark Element beers.

As it is, I had to make do with a few cans to take home from the Lockup Bottle Shop downstairs in the market.

The Details:

Ffos Caerffili

Address - Cardiff Rd, Caerphilly CF83 1FN

Web - https://ffoscaerffili.co.uk/

Fablas 

Address - Unit 31, Castle Court Shopping Centre, Caerphilly CF83 1NU

Web - https://fablasicecream.com/