Solina Pasta has opened on Cardiff's Westgate Street, drawing hundreds of diners on its opening day with the promise of 3,000 free plates of pasta. The restaurant, a second site for the brand outside Bath, is located in the former Zero Degrees bar, a Grade II-listed garage building opposite the Principality Stadium.
On opening day, September 28, hundreds queued for the free pasta offer. The venue prides itself on freshly-handmade pasta daily and claims to serve 'the best tiramisu in town.'
Menu and Pricing
The menu features a range of pasta shapes, including linguine, pappardelle, and radiatori, priced between £8 and £15. Dishes include duck ragu, salt cod puttanesca, and pistachio pesto with stracciatella, offering more than the average Bolognese.
A review of two pasta dishes found the duck ragu, served with gluten-free rigatoni, to be delicately rich with plenty of tender meat. The gluten-free rigatoni was described as tasting like pasta, not powdery or too chewy. The tagliatelle with Cornish crab, datterini tomatoes, chilli, garlic, and parsley was soft with the right level of chew, covered in a memorable mixture of crab and chilli.
Antipasti and Dessert
The antipasti selection includes wild mushroom arancini with pistachio pesto mayo, lasagne fritti, and a prosciutto plate with roasted fig and baked ricotta. The arancini were crisp balls of rice, not too stodgy or flavourless, with a creamy, tart, and nutty mayo. The prosciutto plate was heaving with cured ham, a perfect trio with the baked ricotta and figs. The lasagne fritti, a wedge of crisp-covered lasagne with soft, pulled beef and lashings of bechamel and tomato, were described as a must try.
The tiramisu was a big splodge of creamy, spongey dessert, though there wasn't enough coffee flavour. The cream was light and heavenly, and it was enjoyed with an espresso.
Opening and Location
Solina is at 27 Westgate Street, CF10 1DD. It does not take bookings and is open now. The restaurant is the second branch of the pasta restaurant owned by The Walcot Group, which owns several other types of restaurants and butchers across England's south west.
Fresh, homemade food is at its heart, and for pasta lovers, it's definitely one to try. You can skip starters and share three plates of well-done dishes and still walk away with a bill under £50.
