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Rustico Italian Restaurant (Wakefield)
by hlb2009 I love going out for meals especially when you get a freebie thrown in too and the staff make you feel as welcome as though you were family. When my husband and i moved to Wakefield we stumbled across this little Italian by mistake and since then it has become a regular haunt for us. **The location** This ... restaurant may not be set amongst fields with a beautiful view but it is a great location seeing as it's so central. It is on Northgate, Wakefield and so there are plenty of parking spaces around, the main bus route from Leeds to Wakefield runs past it so if you are on public transport it is ideal as the bus literally stops just outside. It's a five minute walk from the station and right by the shopping centre so a great place to finish off an afternoon of shopping! **The building** Rustico was originally one small restaurant. It was the equivalent of one shop front but has recently expanded- they have bought the property next door and so now the restaurant is twice the size! Inside it is decorated authentically with yellow painted walls and pictures of Italy on the walls. There are blackboards dotted around with the daily specials on and a little bar area decorated to look just like a little Italian bar which gives the atmosphere of a friendly original place. The tables are set out so that you are not directly aligned to the table next to you which is great as I can't stand it when you feel so close to the people next to you that you can overhear their conversations. Instead, here the tables are spread out at angles so that you feel as though you have ample space. The tables are made from wood and don't have any table cloths which is another bonus as far as I'm concerned, I really don't like restaurants that have table cloths, they make me feel uncomfortable! The chairs are made from the same light coloured wood so it looks very classy although I don't think that the chairs are amazingly comfortable though as they are very upright and hard due to the wood but that really is me just trying to pick fault, I can't find fault anywhere else at all! **Accesibility** This restaurant is easily accessible, I have been in here with my pushchair before and not had a problem with getting it through the door or negotiating tables! I have also seen people in wheelchairs dining in here so although it does look quite small from the outside it isn't somewhere where you are worried about being in the way if you do have a set of wheels with you! **menu and food** Well this is the best thing about this place! The food! It is simply amazing. I cannot find any other word to describe it! The menu is well presented with plenty of options as well as the daily specials board which adds some variety too. The starters are vast which makes a change and they offer a good variety. I am fed up of going into restaurants which just offer four starters with only one being vegetarian. This menu has a good variety including meat balls, deep fried brie with cherry sauce, bruschettas and more. I like the fact that the options are different to what I usually see on menus. The main courses are split into many headings: Salads Pastas Meat Fish Pizzas Vegetarian Risotto When choosing your meal you can swap items which is useful as I am picky so usually like one item but not another for example I don't like ham and pineapple pizza but I do like pineapple so I can swap and change if I so wish. This shows just how fresh the food is, it is literally cooked as soon as you order. The pastas include a wide range and when you chose which one you like you then can chose which type of pasta you want it with! The vegetarian selection is very good, I used to be vegetarian and found that the only option I ever had was Vegetable Lasagne but not here! There are many options on this menu including gnocchi which although it is Italian, I don't often actually see appearing on an Italian menu! Puddings are not very extensive but to be fair you don't often have room anyway! They have not one kind of tiramissu but two! A normal one and an Amaretto one which is absoloutely gorgeous! Side dishes include the usual Italian options such as garlic breads but also creamed spinach or courgettes too which I think adds something a little different. When our order has been taken it never takes long for the food to arrive and you can see into the kitchens which is another feature I like! I like to see the chefs preparing our meals and when we do recieve our food it is always very hot and smells lovely. The food has always been amazing. We have never had any bad experiences or complaints. It always tates extremely fresh and the ingredients are tasty. Often when I eat out and I have a vegetable based dish that the vegetables are soggy and tastless but here they are crisp and full of taste. We have never been able to find any reason to fault these dishes. I simply cannot praise them enough the dining experience What I always like about a place is when you are made to feel welcome and you certainly do here. Upon arriving you are shown to a table and given free freshly baked bread with olives and pesto. This bread is still warm and so yummy that I went away telling everyone about it as I was so impressed! Often, although not always, after your order has been taken you are also given free garlic tomato bread too which is another nice touch! The first time we ate here we were a bit suspicious and worried it may appear on the bill but it didn't it is just a welcoming gesture which really is what we love about this place, that they are willing to give something back to their customers. It really inspired us to keep coming! Often we don't even need a starter at all! It is a great gesture and it definitely works, it is what sets this restaurant apart from others. After we had dined in this restaurant two times the third time we came the manager welcomed us as though we were old friends and asked how we were and how my mother was etc showing that he not only recognised us but remembered us. Every time we have been in since and the manager is there he is more than welcoming. He often comes over to ask us how we were and when we told him about our engagement he gave us free shots, when he found out about Baby Hope he gave us free drinks then too and the first time we went in with our new baby he came and welcomed her too. When you eat here you are made to feel more than welcome and like a valued customer. opening times/ contact This restaurant is open weekdays (except Sunday) 5pm-10pm and is on Northgate. To contact: 01924 291 297. Although I would suggest before going you ring to book as it is so very popular now. **our opinion** I cannot rate this restaurant highly enough. The main aspect of a restaurant is the food being spot on which this is and to top it off the atmosphere is a lovely, bustling yet friendly one and you are made to feel more than welcome by the members of staff. It is always very clean too with tables looking as though they are brand new. I dislike it when you go to a restaurant and sit at a table which has stains and crumbs all over it. You certainly don't get this here! Also with this restaurant you can actually have the food to take away! We have been once and it was too busy to be seated but we didn't want to eat anywhere else so we ordered it as a take away and ate it at home which was a great option! I really cannot find anything to say in terms of criticism except that maybe the chairs could be more comfortable but really that is all I can think of! This restaurant is now very busy, whenever we drive past we can see that it is bustling. I am always really pleased as this is the sort of restaurant which is trying hard to please people and to be part of the community and so deserves to be doing well for itself. I am definitely a huge fan. price wise it's very reasonable! When we ate there last time we had 2 main meals, 1 side dish, a bottle of wine and 1 dessert and it came to £26 which I think is very reasonable especially when you consider we also got freshly baked bread and a garlic tomato pizza bread thrown in too for free! This is a fantastic restaurant that I can only keep finding praise for. I have been here with various people over the last few years and everyone has said it was one of the nicest places they have eaten. I definitely recommend this. Read the complete review |
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Sachins Punjabi Restaurant (Newcastle upon Tyne)
by fizzywizzy Although it is often cited as one of Newcastle's best Indian restaurants, Sachins does 'enjoy' a less than salubrious location which means that many people are often totally unaware of its existence. Situated behind the Central Station, the area is semi-industrial though it is slowly being developed and when the new hotels actually open, ... the restaurant will no doubt reap some of the benefits of the gentrification. Not that Sachins is in dire need of customers; while many restaurants are struggling to fill their tables, Sachins doesn't seem to have suffered as much as many. This was our second visit to Sachins; having had a very positive experience a couple of years back I had secretly made reservations to celebrate my partner's birthday and when he realised where we were heading he was pleased. I should stress that the comments I've made about the location apply only to the appearance of some of the disused, semi-derelict buildings; there is on site parking which is perfectly safe and there is no risk to diners arriving on foot. The downside to the location is that other than The Telegraph which attracts an rather 'alternative' crowd, there aren't any pubs nearby where you might have a drink before or after your meal; this means that customers tend to make a night of it at Sachins and it's practically impossible to get a table without a reservation as there's not really a turnover of tables as the evening goes on. The first time we visited we were invited to sit and have a drink while we looked at the menu, before we were taken to our table. On the more recent occasion we were taken straight to our table on the upper floor, as far as you could possibly go, even though there were plenty of free tables on the lower floor and not so far along the restaurant. The table where we were seated had two conventional dining chairs and upholstered 'built in' seating on the side along the wall. It seemed odd to take the dining chairs so we took the 'comfortable' side which in restrospect turned out not to be so comfortable for a lady with not so long legs. The other issue was that the bulb had gone in the light over our table and it was a struggle to read the menu. As it was a special occasion I decided to push the boat out and start with a cocktail which ended up being the drink that accompanied my meal (along with some water) partly because it was a rather large cocktail and partly because the waiting staff proved rather reluctant to be aware of the needs of diners. Himself drank Cobra with his meal. My Lychee Fizz was refreshing and at around £5 it was a fair price. My lamb tikka (£5.95) starter certainly sizzled when it was brought to the table and I couldn't decide whether it was black because the lamb had been over cooked in the tandoor and forgotten about, or because it had been sitting on the hot plate for too long instead of being brought straight to the table. There was a whiff of charcoal and blackened onions. The problem was that it was by now so dark in our little corner that I couldn't tell if my instincts - that the dish was horribly burnt - were right. I dug out the camera and took a snap, the flash would illuminate the plate and tell me if my suspicions were correct: they were. Of course, true to form it took some time to attract the attention of a waiter who, when told that the food was burned simply apologised. I asked him to fetch the manager who offered to fetch a new one but by this time Himself was almost finished his starter so I declined, expecting not to be charged for the abandoned dish. Himself had the paneer pakora (£4.95) which was a really good choice. The gram flour batter was pleasantly spiced and the crusty coating of the creamy cheese was very good. While we had the attention of the manager I asked for the light bulb to be replaced but was told that this wasn't possible; the light was broken. I asked to be moved to another table but was told that wasn't possible either. I stood my ground and insisted on being moved: wouldn't you know it - they found another table. Still partly in the dark because of Sachins fondness for dim lighting even when it does work, but slightly better than our previous position (not least because we were no longer sitting beside what was a draughty window) we settled down to wait for our main courses. Sachins is billed as specilaising in food from the Punjab but the menu includes a section called the 'Spice Trail' which includes dishes from other regions of India. Spice Trail dishes range in price from a modest £8.95 to £13.95. The main menu includes an extensive selection of vegetarian main courses (in addition to plenty of meat free starters) all priced at £7.50. My Goan king prawn dish (£13.95) was a tasty enough dish with plenty of juicy prawns and lots of well flavoured sauce that was made more vibrant with a good squeeze of lime juice but it didn't really thrill me. Hot plates aren't used at Sachins and I'm not the world's fastest eater so the use of a simple ceramic bowl to bring the curry to the table was less than practical. I opted for a 'saffron pullao' (£3.50) to go with my main; this was rather good, there was only a hint of safron but the rice was nicely spiced with mustard seeds and curry leaves though I would suggest that the tempered spices were added at the end rather than the rice having been fried. Himself enjoyed his 'lal goshat' (£9.95) a hot lamb dish in which the meat had been slow cooked having been first marinated in yoghurt and hot red chillies. The marinating and slow cooking had taken some of the fire out of the chillies without losing any of the distinctive flavour and the meat fell apart beautifully. Himself enjoyed this dish very much. He ordered roti with his main course though, as we did with the rice, we shared them. The roti (£1.80 each) were excellent and made a good change from the ubiquitous nan breads which tend to be on the stodgy side when made in the north east, I feel. We skipped dessert preferring to head home and have coffee in the comfort of our own home. Truthfully we didn't feel inclined to linger and while some of the food was very good, we were disappointed by the experience. Having been to Sachins previously and had such a good experience I feel I can't be too harsh about this visit. Sachins is one of the most popular and well regarded restaurants in Newcastle and I rarely hear any criticisms. The three stars I have awarded could have been four if the service had been better; if I had reviewed based on my first experience then four would certainly be a better reflection. On its day Sachins is a great restaurant; this evening it let itself down. Read the complete review |
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Ciao Bella (Huthwaite)
by Seven17 You can thank Google Translate for the title. (Translation: The food is lovely and reasonably priced!) It's hard to believe this place is next to the Golden Harvest, the outlet that I gave just 1 star earlier today, for food poisoning. This is very far from it, and one of the best pizzeria's I've been to. This place used to ... be an old abandoned, derelict cafe, with not very much in except a pile of dust and junk. It was renovated into the Ciao Bella and Golden Harvest, this being the (much) better of the two. (+) Il personale - The staff The people working behind the counter are very friendly and always say thank you before you walk out the door. On the phone they take your order and listen carefully to what you want. I have never had them misunderstand me or get my order wrong. If it's a long order they sometimes repeat it back to you. The staff will happily personalise your order, so if you don't want any salad with your burger, they take it out or if you want fewer chips but more salad, they will do that too. (+) Il premesse - The premises Inside there is quite possibly the worlds tallest serving counter, where it comes up to the bottom of my chin. It's huge, and I don't know why. You can barely see the guy serving behind the counter and you have to tiptoe if you're short. This counter is clean though, so something positive to add! It also has the toppings at the left hand side, these are buckets of pineapple, pepperoni and all the usual trimmings for pizza, but they do use the toppings for burgers, so if you order a hawaiian burger, you get the same pineapple as the pizzas. I am never left waiting more than 10 minutes, even when I go at around 7pm, when things get a little busier. If you order for a specific time they do get your food ready for then, give or take a few minutes so kudos to them, they do stick to your time and watch their clocks. (+) Il cibo - The food The food is excellent, their salad isn't dried out and brown, it's lovely and fresh, full of moisture. Their pineapple doesn't have much colour though and is quite watery. This doesn't affect the taste though, as it tastes absolutely fine to me. Onto meat then and things are good here; you get some lovely thick beef burgers which taste great on their own, so clearly they're not trying to drown out taste with their toppings. They aren't salty and don't have horrible after tastes. The kebabs aren't my cup of tea and they're very unhealthy. I don't know exactly what they put in them but they're very salty and whilst they do taste of meat, they also taste of some chemicals too. They are a little chewy and fatty in most places, which is why I never normally order a kebab here. Or anywhere for that matter. Their pizzas are excellent, they are full of flavour and whilst they are a little more expensive than pizza hut with their deals, they are a lot less greasy so top marks here too. They also don't skimp on the toppings, you do get a lot on there. Pastas are always very nice but I find the bolognese a little dry, they often don't add enough sauce, or maybe they overcook the pasta, I can't knock a star off for this though as it's only one dish. All the others are absolutely fine, I very much enjoy the creamy sauce in the Carbonara. The food comes in boxes or polystyrene cartons depending on what you order. All burgers come with chips. (+) Il menu & rapporto qualità-prezzo - The menu & Value for money On the menu they have lots of pizzas in small (8"), medium (10") and large (12") sizes, and there are 27 varieties, some of which I've never heard of before. They do stuffed crust versions or you can add your own toppings for a little extra money. You can even create your own pizza. They also have 12 freshly made pastas and calzones. There is even a Mexican menu for the adventurous, which has Fajitas and Chilli con carne, and 7 mexican pizzas, if 27 weren't enough. They do the usual meaty kebabs and side dishes too. These guys are good value for money on their burgers, especially the large sizes but their pizzas are a little more expensive than pizza hut, and promotions are almost never on. Free bottles of drink for orders over £18, but that's it. I have never been told something is out of stock, or off the menu. (N) Il servizio di consegna - The delivery service The delivery service is ok, not too good but not bad either. Their times are a bit hit and miss and sometimes the time they quote on the phone is not always the time they will deliver. Sometimes earlier and sometimes later. Most recently I was quoted a shocking 40 minutes on the phone and within 15 minutes a guy was at my door with a burger. Another time I was quoted 10 minutes and it actually took 20. Swings and roundabouts. The food does at least arrive hot though, and they always have some change to hand. They deal with your purchase quickly, but don't rush. (+) Complessivo - Overall An excellent Italian food outlet, highly recommended, especially for their burgers which are by far the best in the area. I wouldn't recommend their unhealthy kebabs though, or the bolognese. (N) Il dettagli - The details Phone: 01623 450 110 / 07858 330 880 (Can pre order for collection) Delivery: FREE, MINIMUM £8 4 mile radius, £1 p/mile thereafter. Under £8 order is £1 delivery. Address: 24 Main Street Huthwaite Sutton-In-Ashfield NG17 2QW Opening times: Mon-Thu = 4pm-11pm Fri-Sun = 4pm-Late Read the complete review |
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