La Parmigiana
A small trattoria nestled into a row of houses a 10-minute walk from the coast sounds like a Venice dinner setting from Anthony Minghella’s 1999 film: The Talented Mr Ripley.
However, within this piece, I visited La Parmigiana - which can be found on Duke Street in Uplands, Swansea.
Yes Uplands, home to the famous Uplands Diner which offers the ‘Mega Beast’ breakfast - you can see a picture of my friend Elliot attempting to tackle it after a night out several years ago.
La Parmigiana was brought to my attention after I got sent here on a judging assignment for a National competition: The Italian Awards. La Parmigiana had made it to the final in the category of ‘best restaurant in Wales’, which is voted for by the general public.
When I first stepped foot into the building on a brisk and sunny September Saturday morning, I was instantly drawn to the warmth of owner, Francesca.
I often talk about it in my reviews, but my favourite venues are those which possess some character - whether that be through the restaurant decor/location, the menu, or the staff. La Parmigiana ticks the character boxes in all three of the aforementioned categories.
La Parmigiana was formerly a fish and chip shop owned by Fran’s parents, who originate from Parma. Fran took the reigns in 1996, before deciding to close and reopen as a deli in 2005. From there she has evolved the venue into somewhere for a morning hot drink, a British breakfast, or traditional Italian plates.
Fran is the kind of person you could spend hours with and not tire of their company. This was backed up by the swathes of regulars arriving, chattering, and taking up their usual seats. She works both front and back of house, taking orders from customers, making coffees, and scurrying into the kitchen to prepare their meals.
Having worked in hospitality myself, this caused my anxiety levels to be raised as high as they were when I watched Boiling Point on Netflix. But she made it look like a breeze, unflappable.
There is no physical menu. Nothing printed. Nothing scrawled over a chalk board on the wall. Fran simply decides what she is cooking on the day and reels off these dishes to each customer.
Those available on my two trips were (amongst others): parmigiana di milanzane, caprese, antipasto, arancini, bruschetta, lasagne, fettucine alfredo, mushroom risotto, spinach and ricotta cannelloni, pastas with ragu, meatballs, smoked salmon, king prawns.
I opted for a hearty, homemade parmigiana di melanzane during my first solo trip.
Sitting outside in the sunlight whilst indulging in all these carbohydrates and cheese results in an extreme feeling of comfort.
The bulky serving of creamy fettucine alfredo, pictured below, looked like it may become too rich and heavy as I worked my way through - but I finished the pasta feeling content, it wasn’t sickly and I didn’t feel bloated.
I returned recently for another lunch date after attending a wedding the previous evening in the area.
The arancini was crammed with Parma ham and Parmesan cheese, a nod to Fran’s Italian roots and heritage.
A freshly chopped tomato bruschetta spiked with raw garlic packed a punch.
We shared tangles of pasta with a spicy tomato based sauce, laced with strips of pancetta.
We were undecided over the other dish to share as a main course - eventually deciding on a homemade lasagne.
This was a knockout and the best thing I ate that came out of Fran’s tiny kitchen. Assembled with egg pasta and baked until the cheese was bubbling. This is a must order if you decide to visit and it’s available.
Dessert was the creation of Fran’s daughter. Amaretti biscuits layered with amarena cherries of the Bologna region, mascarpone cream, and a sweet Sicilian Marsala wine to provide an element of booziness. Which reminds me, La Parmigiana has a bring your own booze policy.
This dessert encapsulates everything there is to love about this place: wholesome, family orientated, and fun.
In a market dominated and saturated by chain restaurants why not visit a place like this instead? Seriously, why not? Chains are seen by many as cost effective and reliable. Each of the starters pictured above come at a price of £4.75 each, whilst the mains £9.95.
La Parmigiana use Italian produce, whereas Italian chain restaurants in the UK use ingredients that are as Italian as Alan Carr.
I am not against chain restaurants, in fact far from it. In my opinion some are done well, others are not. Forget about giving your money to the few corporate entities who gain some of their custom from gifting ‘influencers’ visits to spout bile in ‘reviews’ about their bang average food.
I know that I would prefer to visit a venue like this that engages with the local community and have a genuine experience, than one where you scan a QR code to order your centrally prepared food.
Fran will tell you herself that this restaurant “isn’t anything fancy” and that she likes to have fun with it.
In a brutally honest conversation Fran confessed that she’s struggling to compete. Share this piece far and wide. People like Fran deserve success. Visit Swansea. Have a day at the beach. Pop to La Parmigiana for some lunch. Support a small independent business.