Day Trip to Milan - Navigli, Bellariva

THE LOOK

Who doesn't love a huge bowl of pasta! This pumpkin ravioli with sage butter (14 Euros) was the perfect lunchtime treat, sitting out in the sunshine on the side of the canal. My favourite part was that they left the freshly grated Parmesan on the table! 

Rating:***

THE TASTE

I actually miss this pasta! I was worried that pasta would be too heavy for such a hot day but the light and fresh pumpkin filling meant that it was a surprisingly light lunch. Of course, I had to make the most of the cheese and heap it on but the saltiness from that balanced out the sweetness of the pumpkin well.

Rating:*****

THE PLACE

The location of Bellariva is perfect. It's located on the left hand side of the canal so it's a great suntrap and you can watch rowers practicing along the canal. The staff were so friendly and appreciated us talking to them in Italian. I would definitely go back.

Rating:****

Fine Dining - Rose & Sapori

THE LOOK

When my starter arrived it really wasn't what I was expecting, it looked so much fresher and more vibrant! You could tell that a lot of effort had been put in to plating my carpaccio. I was slightly disappointed in the presentation of my lamb main as it was very beige and a mushroom had been accidentally looped through on the one of the bones, which just made the plate look a little messy and they was slightly less meat on the chops than I'm used to. We chose not to order a dessert as we were simply too full but we got a free mini dessert of fruit tartlets and nutty cookies, which were delightfully presented on a named slate plate.

Rating:****"

THE TASTE

In all honesty I was slightly disappointed in my starter after such vibrant presentation. If it weren't for for the fruit there would have been no taste to the dish at all. However, I have to say though that the passion-fruit granita was so flavourful and was the only aspect of the dish I would have again.

On a much happier note, my lamb was to die for!! It was cooked pretty much to perfection and the pistachio crust was orgasmic! My mini roast potatoes went perfectly with the course and I even asked for them to be boxed up to take home as I couldn't let them go to waste when I was full. Even the mushroom were a welcome addition!

Rating:****

THE PLACE

The restaurant, which is connected to a hotel, is situated at the front of the riviera on Lake Garda. We had the best service here out of our entire time in Garda and were actually sad when our meal was over and we had to leave! Our glasses were constantly being topped up, our food arrived all at the same time (a rarity for Italy), and the staff were well informed on any questions we had about the meal. This was the closest level of service we had to that of England, as we discovered that customer service in Italy is to a much lower standard so this restaurant was a much needed change.

Rating:*****

Total Rating: 14/15

http://ristoranteroseesapori.com/en/

Pumpkins Galore - Double Tree Hilton

THE LOOK

These king scallops were served on a pillow of fresh pumpkin puree with scattered pieces of artichoke hearts. It was the perfect portion for a starter. For my main course I had the pumpkin risotto, also off the seasonal menu. The bright orange of the fresh pumpkin contrasted well with the creamy white of the risotto. My main complaint about these two dishes is that they would've been so much better had they been served hotter. Both were luke warm, which in some ways ruined the starter but the main was so good that even the temperature couldn't ruin it.

Rating: ***'  

THE TASTE

Personally I prefer smaller scallops as they seem to have more flavour but these definitely have the wow factor when they're served. The artichokes seemed to stick out in the dish as their flavour didn't blend as well as the scallops, pumpkin, and pea-shoots did together. However, the risotto was lovely! The pumpkin was the perfect accompaniment to this dish as without it the dish would've been far too rich. It cut through the creamy sauce of the risotto and made the dish a lot lighter.

Rating: ***'

THE PLACE

The restaurant looks very impressive! They usually seat people in the conservatory on an evening but we asked to be seated in the main area as the seats are so much comfier and you can settle down ready for a feast! The staff were very friendly and were actually interested in chatting to us, we really felt like they appreciated us as customers. Our waitress (unfortunately I can't remember her name) knew the menu inside out and made wonderful recommendations. However, I do have a couple of grumbles... The waiters didn't wait until we had all finished before taking our plates but my main problem is that when we complained about one of the dishes they did nothing to rectify the problem. My dad is a huge soup fan so ordered the mushroom soup but he soup one mouthful and almost spat it out! Even though the waiter came over several times and saw he wasn't eating he never asked how it was and then didn't offer anything else or even to take it off the bill....

Rating:*** 

Chocolate Bar - Fondue

THE LOOK

I loved how the chopped nuts and chocolate balls were served in the mini bowl but it did get very messy after a while! This is cute enough to do for a date (but definitely not a first date unless you don't mind chocolate smeared across your face!!) We put the ice cream over brownies so it melted into them, LUSH. We could've done with forks with bigger prongs as the food did fall off a lot....

Rating: ***'

THE TASTE

This was the perfect cheat day treat! The bananas were fresh, the marshmallows fluffy, and the brownies gooey. The strawberry sauce added the perfect sour hit the break up the sweetness of all the treats and was great mixed with the melted chocolate! 

Rating:****

THE PLACE

The cafe is located inside Metropolis shopping centre on the third floor. I recommend getting a window seat as it is perfect for people watching! The staff there were friendly but our table could've done with being wiped down and were weren't sure if we were meant to set ourselves or be seated. For what we had it was very reasonably priced and we will definitely be going back!

Rating:***

Va Bene! - Total Disappointment

Such a horrific meal, it's a struggle to put into words...

THE LOOK

1. Starter - Polpetti, beef meatballs, olives in a delicious tomato sauce £6.95 - Once again my plate wasn't wiped before it was served, I know it sounds rather stuck up but it really bothers me! My bread was lost under my dish and it looked more like a school dinner than a restaurant meal
2. Main - Tortellini Quattro Formaggi, pasta parcels with ricotta and spinach, mushroom, gorgonzola, parmesan, and mozzerella and cream sauce £10.95  - This is the only dish of the night that I actually thought looked appetising. It was a bit awkward when after only one teaspoon of parmesan the waiter asked if that was enough and I had to tell him a few more!
3. Side - Sauteed Potatoes £2.95 -  Looked as lovely as my main
4. Dessert - Eaton Mess Cheesecake £??? - I was missing my meringue, which in my opinion is the best part?! I have had better looking cheesecakes for Aldi, this was definitely not homemade!

Rating: *"

THE TASTE

1. Garlic, garlic, garlic!! That's literally all I could taste! The meatballs here so dry and bland, they were flying across my dish as i tried to cut them
2. I actually really enjoyed this dish! The pasta was al dente and the sauce was perfection! These really came through in the sauce and didn't even need extra salt!
3. After struggling to finish my main I couldn't manage these so took them home and they were lush cold the next day!
4. This dessert was actually disgusting and wasn't fully defrosted. The parts that were edible were bland and certainly not worth the calories.

Rating: **

THE PLACE

Compared to previous visits this place was dead! The staff were quick to take out order but never cleared away the empty glasses. When we complained about one of our meals the manager agreed that it was over cooked and didn't offer us another main until the others were cleared away but he did take it off the bill.

Rating:*"

The Bell at Belbroughton

THE LOOK

Everything I had to eat this evening was presented with various levels of finesse.

1. Scallops of the Day served with Saffron mashed potatoes and drizzled with a pea and mint pesto dressing - £9.50 - The classic presentation of scallops! The Bell is part of the same chain as The Lyttelton Arms, and The White Swan in Harborne. Across the table though they varied greatly in size so there was a bit of food envy going on!
2. King Prawn, crab and chorizo linguine with white wine, tomatoes, garlic and chilli - £12.95 - I was so disappointed when my food arrived as it looked like it had been sitting there white a while and the excess sauce wasn't wiped from the edge of my place.
3. Baked New York style cheesecake served with strawberry coulis - £5.95 - When it first arrived I had to send it back as the plate was dirty. When my second one arrived it was presented completely differently and apparently they had forgotten the strawberries too.

Rating:***"

THE TASTE

1. I always love the scallops here. This time however, the mashed potatoes weren't very warm but the were perfectly smooth and I really couldn't get enough of the pesto!
2. Despite how it looks the pasta is lush! I will definitely be having it again. The crab meat is white (I don;t like the dark meat) and just like the prawns its cooked well and tastes fresh. I asked for as little chilli as possible (I'm a bit of a wimp) and personally that was the right level of heat 
3. The cheesecake was average. The traditional style we all love, I've had better but I've also had a lot worse

Rating: ***"

THE PLACE

Our waitress, Amy, was incredible this evening. She was very attentive and when there was something wrong with my dessert she came back even though she had already walked away. The beer garden here is soon modern and there are plenty of seats for it's ideal for large parties. If you're wearing heels bake sure you're confident in them as you have to go down a slight slope to get in and always RING THE BELL!!

Rating: ****

Rainbow Palace - £10 3 Course Deal

I've been going to this quaint little restaurant for years and it just keeps getting better and better! I've celebrated so many things here from anniversaries to birthdays, Chinese New Year to a new job, the food is such great quality at such a low price that everyone can afford it.

THE LOOK

All of the food here is usually served on tea light food warmers so it's ideal if you want to get a few plates to share! The starters usually come served on a bed of lettuce with a vegetable flower but that's as fancy as it gets, here it's the taste, not the presentation that keeps you coming back. It's back to basics here.

Rating: ***

THE TASTE

The £10 3 course menu changes weekly. There are always 4 starters on the menu and you choose two and then there's a selection of mains. The tiger prawns here are delicious. They are always perfectly cooked but I always ask for a bit more sauce to dip them in! This visit we were all a bit disappointed in the satay chicken this time as the sauce wasn't as peanutty as usual so was a tad bland. It was the first time I'd had the king prawn in black bean sauce here but I would definitely have it again. 

Rating: ****

THE PLACE

The restaurant itself is only tiny so you really do need to book, try and ask for a table in the main section rather than at the back as it gets too hot there. The staff are so lovely here, Stan, the head waiter will do anything for you and is great with kids. Once they didn't have a drink I wanted so they went out and bought it for me! However, I have noticed that we get a very different kind of service when I go without my Dad, perhaps the owner is just a mans man...

Rating:****