Federico Guardascione in Naples, review: a great pizza (even gluten-free)

The height of a pizzaiolo's success, as we were taught in elementary school, is marrying a Margherita. If you're not a child of the '80s—lucky you!—perhaps it didn't immediately occur to you.

Ambience, service and menu

The atmosphere is attractive, airy, and divided into several spaces, dotted with numerous small steps. Plenty of seating, with tables well-spaced. Great attention to cleanliness, always a positive thing. The only complaint: the tables for two are a bit cramped.

The service was very courteous, with a mix of young, smart staff and older, perhaps more contemplative, but very welcoming, esteemed figures. Questions about the extensive menu were answered quickly and without hesitation.

Worrying decibel situation, not bordering on neuralgia, I use Ciarly: this time, we were a bit unlucky, a few meters from a nice table of high school students, complete with helpless professors.

The menu is impressive and emphasizes the possibility that everything (appetizers, pizzas, desserts) can be made gluten-free. Among the appetizers, "Non solo fritti" (Non solo fritti in name and in fact), we also find parmigiana and a platter that closely resembles that of Ciro Cascella 3.0: surprise, the company is the same! Or, at least, that's what one of the younger waiters confesses, with a slightly conspiratorial air. The prices of the fried foods are affordable (from €2/€2.50 for single pieces to €8 for mixed fried food); the platter for two at €24 is more problematic, with inconsistent mentions of the products. The fact that the ownership structure could be the same as Cascella is confirmed by the love for the salad menu, all between €8 and €9. Who knows how large they are: again, I've never seen anyone order one! Exuberant selection of pizzas, prices range from the very reasonable (€5 and €6.50 for marinara and margherita) to the arrogant request of €16 for the Black Angus (You again, weren't we supposed to stop seeing each other?) with the eponymous carpaccio and the inevitable nonsense.

All pizzas become gluten-free for an additional €1, while some, for an additional €2, can be made in a rutiello, a small, round container greased with lard, for those who haven't said no to cholesterol and aren't ruling out a few bypasses from their conceptual horizons!

Guardascione's fried foods and pizzas

The fried food isn't particularly exciting. The mixed fries, in particular, have small, delicious pieces, fries we weren't expecting, and sauces that make you wonder if they were made from industrial ingredients, at the very least. It's not that they're unpleasant, but rather that they give off a pub-like feel: could this be the ghost of the business that previously occupied these premises for years?

The truffle and sausage frittata was also unforgettably delicious: the bucatini was barely overcooked, the batter less than satisfying, and even the truffle flavor was barely noticeable. The joke? We had to order two because we'd inadvertently washed down the first one with our glass of wine.

Here are the real stars of the evening: the Margherita Special rutiello (€9); a Peperoncina (€10) and the gluten-free version of the Pizza Sud (€10).

The Margherita Pimpata rutiello with Piennolo tomatoes and Parmigiano Reggiano is a delightful topping (though there's already too much EVOO), but the disc is too greasy: the final sensation on the palate is very rich, bordering on redundant. The texture is good, thanks to the specific cooking method: fragrant and soft on the inside.

The gluten-free Pizza Sud was surprising: you could barely taste the non-traditional dough, only the pale color betrayed it. Remarkable. It's worth noting that they didn't bring any extra cutlery. It's safe to assume that, having seen our grandmother eat it wrapped in wheat, they assumed we weren't strictly gluten intolerant.

Try the Peperoncina: a summery, more than Neapolitan, topping. The dough, tested here in conventional baking and with "regular" flours, is firm and pleasant to bite and chew, just the right amount of elasticity, with nice crusts, and cooked through. Bravo, Guardascione!

Beverages, desserts, accessibility and bill

Away with the grindstone, away with the pain: rogue accessibility that takes you just when you don't want it. Nothing, neit, zero!

The well-crafted beverages closely mirror those of the much-mentioned Ciro Cascella. If the waiter's insider trading on the shareholding structure were false, it's bordering on plagiarism. The option of several bottles of wine and a Campania bubble is nice, all between €5 and €6. Industrial-strength beers on tap, Umbrian Master Brewers in bottles. An impressive spirits list, not exactly arthouse or a money-grabber like that of the highly regarded Ciro Oliva; we might even call it ultra-commercial. Fewer brands, more substance. Very reasonable prices.

Surprise of surprises: the proverbial bride Margherita, none other than I Dolci di Marghe, already tried—guess where? Everyone in unison: Ciro Cascella's! Here, the list is more extensive. The milk fetta (€5) is very delicious, it makes you wonder why the pastry shop is Ferrero-dependent these days, but we won't find an answer now. Not now, not here.

A friendly bill: €68, and we'll shake off gluten-free grandma! A glass of wine, a bottle of beer, and the double frittata slightly increased what would otherwise be a more than reasonable bill (a pre-bill, to be honest).

Opinion

Federico Guardascione offers an overwhelming selection of pizzas in a pleasant and spotlessly clean setting. The various cooking methods and the presence of a dedicated gluten-free laboratory (not just an oven) are highly appreciated. A greater focus on a more focused menu could yield excellent results. There's a good selection of wines, including by the glass. The beers could be improved, and the spirits could be reconsidered. The service is courteous and welcoming, but why not also accommodate those with mobility issues?