So this Thursday I was kindly invited down to try out the new Vinny & Vito restaurant that recently opened as a in house restaurant in the idyllic settings of the Village Hotel in Headingley.
Upon arrival I was greeted by the lovely Orla Watt who is the general manager of the of the Village Hotel North and was given an over view of the newly launched in house restaurant Vinny & Vito. The first thing that struck me about the restaurant was the warm feeling the restaurant had and the clever design gives it both a formal and informal to feel. So its perfect for hotel guests, business trips, dates or a simple girls lunch.
Me and my guest were then seated by our waiter for the night Liam and the fun of trying the mouth watering menu began.
Starter: Large Selezione Di Salumi £14.50
A selection of three Italian cured meats with pickled chillis, sweet onions, olives and ciabatta crostini.
Me and my friend got chatting about ordering sharing starters, when I mentioned the mezzi type platters always look delicious. However I always feel bad then asking for one as I feel I'm then putting the other person out by somewhat making them ditch their own starter choice to favour mine. Luckily we had both been eyeing this up on the menu.
The starter looked vibrant and smelt fragrant and fresh, it looks deceptively small on the photos although I can assure you there were layers of salami and other meats at the bottom of all the roasted peppers, sweet pickled chillies and caramelised onion and oozing gooey cheese.
Main course: Bucatini Con Polpette £9.95
Our famous mouth watering house meatballs, smothered in spicy homemade tomato sauce.
Whilst I mused over the menu been my usual indecisive self my friend instantly decided he was having the meatballs. When It arrived I eye'd his meal up (more stared my friend out) before he offered me a taste. For my own liking the meatballs were a little tough but likewise they were full of flavour and the subtle chilli and garlic came through nicely without been overpowering. The pasta was also cooked to perfection.
Main course: Ravioli al Manzo Ribollito con Salsa al Chianti £10.50
Slow cooked beef brisket flaked down into ravioli, served with rich celeriac puree & Chianti sauce
I will admit I was a little unsure of the idea of celeriac puree with a pasta dish but tucking into my meal I loved it. The brisket filling was rich in flavour and the chinati sauce complemented this dish.
Side dish: Cauliflower Frite £2.95
Cauliflower florets coated in Italian seasoned flour and deep fried.
I never really order side dishes in restaurants, yet I was rather curious of the idea of deep fried cauliflower. These were surprising tasty and the batter was light and crisp so I felt less guilty tucking into them. They came with a little dish of aioli (garlic mayo to me and you) which also made them great for a alternative snack as well.
Side dish: Chunky Chips £2.95
These again were delicious and you could tell they were defiantly home made. Need I say anything else.
Desert: Chocolate nemesis cake £5.50
Moist rich chocolate cake served with sweet crème fraîche
By desert time we was both already pretty full however with eyes bigger than our bellies we both soldiered on and ordered a desert. My friend had the chocolate cake with creme fraiche (or as he kept saying "creme fraiche" in the voice of Randy from South Park). The chcolate cake was more like a brownie and was very rich and filling and would be enough for 2 people to share.
Desert: Pannacotta £4.95
With fruit compote
Recommended by our waiter I opted for the pannacotta and boy was it good! It had a fresh vanilla taste and reminded me of the kind of really nice traditional vanilla ice cream that you can usually only find during the interval at the theatre. The panncotta was set perfectly and been me the first thing I did when my desert arrived was to start shaking the bowl to test out the "wobble factor". It passed. Again this desert was very rich and would be perfect to share.
Cocktail: Lady Marmalade £5.50
Limoncello, Triple Sec, Sugar syrup, Lemon juice, shaken and strained
Some people enjoy a simple coffee after a meal, for me, I like cocktails!
Finishing the meal we both sat feeling slightly gluttonous when the waiter came to offer us a coffee. I think by this point the "pogged" expression on my face must of given me away and I declined polity. We chatted to the waiter a little who mentioned he was also the cocktail bartender when my ears pricked up a little. I asked what cocktails they did and I asked if I had correctly seen a cocktail earlier on the menu called lady marmalade, what I was intrigued about. Asking what was in it, the waiter informed me it was a stunning cocktail and he would simply surprise me instead of revealing what was in it.
The cocktail was rather powerful and very lemony but I did enjoy it.
Cocktail: Café Ecossais £5.95
Fresh Espresso, Johnny walker red, Vanilla Syrup, Coffee Liqueur and baileys, shaken over ice, strained and served
My friend was also treated to a surprise cocktail and was bought the Cafe Ecossais. This is by far the cutest cocktail I have seen in some time with adorable presentation.
We agreed both cocktails would of made the perfect alternative to a desert and it was the perfect way to end the evening.
We both left extremely full after we over indulged a little (well a lot!). Often we over look hotel restaurants as a number 1 pick for a meal but I was thoroughly pleased with the service, atmosphere and quality of food served. The Village Hotel North is also set in beautiful surroundings, yet within walking distance of the pubs and bars making Vinny & Vito perfect for starting a girls night out. Likewise perfect for a date and if things go well you can always check in (just adding that in to cover all topics).
Once again I would like to say a big thank you to the general manager Orla Watt and the lovely Rachel McAlley for the invite.
Sammie