I am usually highly suspicious of places which have menus that cover multiple cuisines. If the Ivy is anything to go by, such an approach is all to often a byword for mediocrity (otherwise known on Instagram as “Wow this is amaaaaazing!!! It is free right?“).  When presented with such a menu, my initial reaction is surely it is nigh on impossible to cook all that stuff 1) from scratch and 2) with any degree of quality control.

At first blush the menu at Dino’s Cafe in Canton has car crash written all over it

with pizzas, burgers, pasta, panninis, wraps, greasy spoon classics (all day breakie, sausage and mash) to name but a few. Was mildy surprise not to see casu martzu , jellied eels, hàkarl and surstromming on there too, to be honest.

Hidden in the volumous pages, however, are some Levantine (a cuisine I have a lot of time for) orientated dishes

The hot wraps section, particularly,

picqued my interest (cuz I am a tight git), as well as a sirloin steak for £14 (with chips).

I mean how on earth can they do a sirloin steak and chips for that price?!

Despite morbid curiosity temping me towards that cheap as chips sirloin steak, I am on an ongoing quest to find good value lunch offers (very much below a tenner) in the burbs. The £6.50 wraps were, therefore, what the miser in me was drawn to.

Inside it is a bit more plush than the rather uninspired facade would suggest.

Keeping with the interesting Levantine elements on the menu, I went for the chicken shawarma wrap (£6.50).

What arrived was a surprisingly bountiful plate for the rather diminutive price.

The wrap was fully loaded, with bumper amounts of tender, well spiced, chicken and a refreshing crisp salad integrated into the mix dressed with a yoghurt based sauce.

The main element of the dish was tightly wrapped and well packed, making for easy transportation to the gob and had just the right exposure to the flat top to remove the claggy flaccidness underdone wraps have.

Really good wrap this and well worth the £6.50 price tag alone

On top of the rather good wrap, you get a very decent sized portion of fries.  Undoubtedly frozen, but nice enough with a good crisp exterior and liberally salted. A side salad was diminutive, but nicely dressed (oil and lemon juice, I would say). Consisting of crisp lettuce and red onion, a decent flavoured tomato and a pickle, it was a welcome addition (a rarity when it comes to garnishes) to the plate.

All in all, this was excellent for the price. Very tasty and very well proportioned.

Drinks wise the menu suggests a few interesting freshly squeezed juice options

and a zippy apple juice rather appealed.

Alas, when I asked for apple juice, I got pointed to a bottle of “from concentrates” apple juice.

Fine, but not a patch on a freshly squeezed bit of apple juice and what I always think of as a toddler’s drink. Shame that.

The verdict

Excellent lunch this, which provided me with that lunchtime holy grail of good flavours, abundance and a bargain price. I mean what is not to like about that trifecta. One of the best value lunch I have had in a while this.

I am somewhat perplexed as to why it was so quiet on the day and time of my visit (13.30 on a Friday), but maybe trying to be all thing to all people with the menu puts people off 🤔. Gives the impression of a jack of all trade, masters of none.  What I had certainly warrants it being a lot busier, with my shawarma wrap a serious (and tasty) bargain. I would say they have very much mastered that element of their offering.

I will certainly be back for more of their Levantine orientated stuff and perhaps to also see what a £14 sirloin with chips etc. (I mean how, unless it is like 2 ozs?!) is like. I actually wouldn’t be at all surprised to find it is pretty good.

Full of surprises this place.

The details

Address:  327 Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff, CF5 1JD.

Website: https://dinoscafecardiff.com/