It's hard to find anything better than pasta by the water, and Signor Valentino is an embodiment of this belief. Located in Mermaid Quay with views of the bay, diners can look out over their first floor balcony location straight out across Cardiff as they eat their apertifs.
Signor Valentino, as the name probably hints to you, serves up Italian food. With an emphasis on fresh and local produce, the menu is not just your normal Italian staples - expect to see fresh takes on some classic dishes. For example, the Spaghetti all’Abruzzese comes with lamb meatballs, diced pancetta, sliced roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes, red wine and chilli, and the Pollo al Pepe Nero takes your typical chicken breast and puts it in a black pepper, red wine, brandy, mustard and cream sauce. There's also a large selection of pizzas on the menu.
There are lots of appetisers designed to be shared, many of which are enhanced by the fresh quality of the ingredients - such as the crocchette di spinaci, which is a bite of crispy spinach covered in a carrot and vegetable crumb served with a spicy tomato dip, or the fritto misto di pesce, which is deep fried calamari and shell-on king prawns served with fresh lemon and saffron mayo.
Wine-lovers will be pleased to know that Signor Valentino has a highly-curated wine list to wash down your meal with. But for those who don't have a taste for vin, there is of course also your classic cocktails - such as a Martini with vodka, raspberry liqueur, pineapple juice and lemon, or the Tanqueray Sevilla gin with tonic, burnt orange and cinnamon garnish. Just make sure to save room for dessert - they have a cheesecake made with Limoncello. But of course, if you're too full for cake...they have gelato.