The friendly rivalry of Cardiff's three leading Italian restaurants is hotting up with the city's homegrown establishment claiming success with TV Celebrity Chef Gino D'Acampo showing his support by choosing to dine at Gios.
 
Founder Giovanni Malacrino, says that the friendly rivalry between his restaurants, founded in 1983, and newcomers Jamie's Italian and Carluccio's is great news for food lovers in the city and has produced a restaurant renaissance in Cardiff.
 
"With our new friends joining us in the Cafe Quarter, Wales has entered a golden age of Italian restaurants, with the best ever representation of quality establishments in one concentrated area which has quickly become known as Little Italy."
 
Mr Malacrino who runs Giovanni's his family restaurant in the Hayes and Gios restaurant and bars in Mill Lane, says the rivalry is friendly:
 
"We all get on very well and have eaten in each others restaurants and the arrival of these big chains has drawn more diners into our vicinity which is proving great for business. Competition is good, it makes you step up a notch and we have some exciting plans to show how our brand of homemade real Italian food is the best!"
 
He claims that celebrity chefs like Napoli-born D'Acampo prefer his homemade style of regional cuisine over his larger rivals.
 
"In the space of a month The Hairy Bikers have chosen to dine here over any other restaurant and we were honoured that Gino D'Acampo chose us over our other two rivals last night.  I asked him why and he said it was because he likes to eat real Italian food in a family restaurant. I can guarantee that we are the only big Italian restaurant in Cardiff where the founder and his family work on site!"

Mr Malacrino has laid down the gauntlet to Jamie's and Carluccio's to take part in a 'Cook-Off' in Cardiff, dates for the event which aims to involve chefs from all three restaurants are currently being agreed.
 
"We want to meet on neutral territory in an event to be judged both by food experts and the general public, to show who is the Italian Masterchef of Cardiff.  We hope that Carluccio's and Jamie's will accept our challenge, it will be a bit of fun, which is what Pizza Wars should be all about."