As has been stated by others far more eloquent than I, Tony Frawley is somewhat of a legend on the Cardiff pizza scene.

He has been the driving force behind many a fine pizza restaurant out Roath way, with people (including those whose opinion I trust on the food front) regularly singing the praises as to the quality of his pizzas. Based on my love of pizza and the pretty much universal good reviews, it is perhaps surprising that I have not darkened the doors of any of these said establishments in the past. Not sure why to be honest: being a lazy arse, Roath being across town and generally liking a glass of wine with a pizza (thus not wanting to drive and being too tight to get an uber) or a combination of these rather pathetic excuses?

The opening of 591 by Anatonis in near to my gaff Victoria Park, taking over the site vacated by the Dough Thrower, took any (however flimsy) excuse away in terms of trying out his pizzas and a table was duly booked after the end of their soft opening period. We did try to get in earlier, but hadn’t booked so were out of luck – did have a very good meal in, nearly, next door Nook as a result mind.

Back to 591,

the interior has been given a bit of a tart up. The beast of a pizza oven a flaming, bronzed, beast is still the centrepiece, and it all looks pretty familiar, bar from a few new framed photos on the walls

The menu is a mix of traditional Neopolitano and more out there toppings.

Despite my oft said traditionalism in terms of Italian food (do what you like, just don’t call it something that it isn’t), I must admit to liking the look of both.

I have always been a big fan of Sophia Loren (great as Lucilla in the epic  “The Fall of Roman Empire“) and the pizza here, bearing her moniker, sounded suitably classy, without being over the top(pings)! Also who can resist a pizza named after one of the most famous pizza shop in the home of Pizza, Naples, in the form of the Gino Sorbillo (famous for the pizzas and standing up to the mob).

Our server (it seems very much a family affair) did explain that all the pizzas were named after famous Italians or family members . She pointed out that the latter were only male rather than female, which she stated was (rather ominously – horse’s head in the bed) to be “corrected” (I may have embellished that just a bit!).

Prior to the main event, we had a couple of their starters.

Calamari is a deceptively simply dish, but can be horrific (limp, flabby, batter and too chewy squid) in the wrong hands.

Here the batter was beautifully light and crisp, encasing tender strips of squid. Lemon and a punchy garlic mayo added nicely to the mix. My only quibbles were it was a pretty small portion, but not expensive at £6.50 (would have happily paid more for more), and the unnecessary mini frying basket it came in (I thought gimmicky shopping trolleys etc. had  been consigned to the skip of history, but it seems not – not sure what is wrong with just putting stuff on a plate).

Garlic bread (£3.50) came with high expectations, following positive reviews from people who know their alliums and did not disappoint.

Plenty of garlic, which had been mellowed down in the cooking process and the bread nicely crisp on the exterior without too much crunch. We added mozzarella (+£1.50 on bill, making it a round fiver) to the mix, which brought a nice cheesy, creamy, ooze into play.

Only slight issue with the garlic bread was the base was just a tad soggy, but I think that was down to our adding the mozzarella. Looking again at the menu, I am not 100% sure adding it was actually an option on the menu for the garlic bread, as opposed to as an extra to the pizzas, but they did it regardless.

On to the main event pizzas

and I went for Gino Sorbillo (£13.50)

Nice pizza this, with a not too soupy crushed tomato base, plenty of fennel heavy Italian sausage, wilted spinach and charry pepper all topped off with creamy mozzarella (applied judiciously, rather than slapped on everywhere, which I like).

Good base, although I would have liked the crust to have been just a bit more mottled and a tad lighter and airier.  I think, ideally, it needed just another couple of seconds in the oven.

The cook on Mrs. SF’s Curuso (£14.95) was bob on, with the combo of pine nuts, honey, goats cheese, baby spinach and salami (on top of crushed tomato and mozzarella) positively singing with flavour.

My favourite pizza of the night. Despite my usual adversion to pizza toppings that are to OTT, these all worked beautifully together.

J went for the Il Patrizio (£12.50 – assume male family member name), adding mushrooms (at £1 I think) as an extra, on top of the standard pepperoni, tomato and mozzarella.

She enjoyed it, but I thought the amount of  mushroom (were only a quid mind, but she said she would have been happy to pay more for more) and, particularly, pepperoni was a tad sparse. J couldn’t managed it all and they were happy to box up the couple of slices she left (she probably ate them for breakfast)

The dessert menu is small, but seems good value.

I passed, but J and Mrs. SF went for the special of profiteroles with chocolate sauce (£3.95)

Very 70s retro vibe to these, with them both thoroughly enjoying them.

On the wine front, the list is pretty short and an all Italian affair . There are, however, some decent pizza wines in the mix despite its brevity (shame no chianti or barbera d’alba wines on there, my go to wines for a meaty pizza, but nero d’avola is a pretty good alternative).

Nice to see wine prices starting in the teens (seems with inflation that £30+ is often the rather 😱 starting price on lists these days) and we went for the Arcano Nero d’ Avola (£19.95 on list and just under £8.50 retail, so a very fair for UK mark up).

Nice easy drinking number this, with plenty of sweet dark berry fruit and a nice refreshing acidity. Worked very well with our pizzas and a second bottle was duly ordered.

The back label’s ” Just add pizza”

was spot on.

The verdict

Great addition to Victoria Park this, with a nice array of traditional and less conventional pizzas to suit all tastes

Bill wise we paid just over a ton for 3 of us (without service, which was very good).

Pizzas are big and a fair chunk of our bill (nigh on 40%) was the booze, so if we had gone lighter on the booze (never going to happen) the bill would have been a lot less (I think it was very good value regardless).

With this place, Fizz ‘n’ Flour and West Pizza the Canton/Victoria Park Pizza game is looking very strong.

Why people continue to order pizzas from the likes of Domino’s when places like 591 are around for eat in and take away pizza is a complete mystery to me. It is these local indies that we should be supporting (need all the help they can get in the current dire climate) and this place is certainly worthy of support.

On a wider note, but still talking numbers, the impending business rates disparity in terms of how much Welsh hospitality business will have to pay as opposed to those over the border seems a remarkable case of (easily avoidable) economic self harm (with seemingly daily announcements of closures, I am sure having to pay more will help loads!!!!) and I remain of the view that VAT should be dropped (to say 10% or even 5%) for the sector for the whole of the UK to give them at least a fighting chance of survival.

I regard hospitality as the heart and soul of most communities, whilst our soulless (and seemingly joyless) Lords and Masters appear hell bent on ripping the heart out of the industry, A pox on the lot of them I say!!

All we mere proles can do is keep on supporting them by eating out as much as our budgets allow, otherwise we will find ourselves left with only bloody Domino’s et al (we truly seem to be living in the early days of, the eerily prophetic, Demolition Man – Taco Bell anyone? 🤢)

The details

Address: 591 Cowbridge Road East   Victoria Park, Cardiff, CF5 1BE.

Website: https://www.591byanatonis.com/