Restaurant review: Villa Napoli

It's my birthday on Tuesday, but I celebrated it with my boyfriend yesterday as we won't be seeing each other on my actual birthday. He booked Villa Napoli in Penarth as a surprise for my birthday meal, which was an excellent choice. I've only eaten there twice before, and have always positively gushed about how good it is. For those of you who don't know, Villa Napoli was used to film the Capriccio's scene in Gavin and Stacey! I was also secretly pleased that I'd have the opportunity to blog about a restaurant which wasn't part of a chain. I don't have a problem with eating in chain restaurants, but it's also refreshing to alternate between them and more unique and family-owned places.

The table was booked for 7pm, so we got changed into our gladrags after spending the day in Oakwood in West Wales.

New dress from Primark!

The interior of the restaurant is homely and rustic,and the staff are always friendly and attentive. We sat in the holding area while our table was prepared and drooled over the menu and specials. I eventually chose the meatballs in tomato sauce with a toasted ciabatta for my starter, and the Penne al Salsiccia for my main course.

The specials

My starter was actually big enough to be a main meal. The ciabatta was soft and buttery, and the meatballs were the best I've ever tasted. They had just the right amount of spice, and the tomato sauce was rich and complemented them perfectly.

By the time my main meal arrived, I was already on the verge of getting full due to the generous starter. However, there was no way I was leaving any of the main course behind. The pasta was cooked to perfection as usual, and the Spanish sausage and the tomato sauce were absolutely amazing. The herbs and cheese contributed to the overall flavour and had been added in perfect proportions. I polished off the whole thing, and made a mental note to go to the gym five times next week.

At the end of the meal, the waiter gave my boyfriend the bill and handed me a beautiful yellow rose. This wasn't a birthday treat... every lady gets a rose when they visit Villa Napoli. It even matched my dress! This is another nice touch which makes the restaurant unique and adds to the pleasant and friendly atmosphere.

The prices are very reasonable for the sheer amount of food you get, as well as the superior quality. The whole meal came to approximately £35 with two starters, two main meals and two soft drinks. Most of the restaurants in the St David's 2 food court area would be equally or more expensive than this, and I would argue that Villa Napoli beats the majority of them hands down in terms of general atmosphere and quality.

Hopefully I've convinced you that Villa Napoli is worth a visit if you're ever looking for somewhere to eat in the Cardiff/Penarth area!