The select menu offers an impressive 3 courses for £18.95 pp, with mains including favourites such as steaks, burgers, pasta and pizza dishes. Unlike other early bird style menus, the menu starts after 6pm between Mondays and Thursdays, which is a particular highlight for myself as it means it actually feels like a treat and gives everyone chance to freshen up and get ready, no more rushing to eat straight from work to grab the best deals. Although if you are looking to dine earlier the restaurant also offers a super lunch with 3 courses for £12.95 until 6pm, Mondays - Thursdays.
Looking through the starters i was impressed to see one of my favourite pasta dishes 'truffle tagliatelle' so the choice for myself was easy. Tom opted for the 'cured meat plank', again something i was impressed to see on a menu, as I've not come across many 'plank' type starters designed for one person on menus before.
The 'cured meat plank' arrived and we was both impressed by the variety of the starter. Given it was a starter for one, there was still an array of delights to feast upon, including meats, cheese, pickles and homemade slaw. The waitress was very pleasant and knowledgeable as she explained everything the starter included. I found the starter had a nice balance with a good meat to cheese ratio, the slaw accompanied it all well with a fresh taste and a hint of orange.
My starter of Truffle tagliatelle was delicious, the truffle was perfectly balanced and not over powering. The pasta was silky and cooked well, making it a very luxurious starter.
For the mains Tom opted for his favourite...Steak. I decided to go double pasta with the sausage ragu.
The steak was served with a fresh tomato salad and a side of home made fries. The yellow and red tomatoes added a fresh element to the dish and gave it a real Italian feel. the steak was cooked to order 'rare' and although came more on the 'medium' side the thin cut of meat still ensured the steak was juicy and tender so this wasn't a problem for Tom.
My pasta again was cooked well. The dish was well seasoned although I found the flavour of fennel a little over powering but still a well balanced dish. The ragu was a slightly runny consistency but the bread crumbs incorporated into the dish, soaked up all the flavour and gave a good texture. A trick i will now be trying on my pasta dishes at home.
After been rather full on my double pasta i would of usually said no to a dessert. Although given the excellent value of the evening favourites menu and spotting a chocolate fondant on the menu...who am i to say no. Plus no meal is complete without a pudding....right?
The chocolate fondant was excellent and one of the best I've ever eaten. There was a very rich chocolate flavour and the middle was soft and gooey. The dish was completed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream which balanced the rich chocolate flavour. Can we also just take a second now to marvel at the rather cute little flag in the pudding.
Tom choose the white chocolate cheese cake which again was well presented, topped with fresh raspberries and an amaretto biscuit crumb. The desert again was delicious with my only criticism being the base of the cheesecake lacked 'crumbilness'.
Overall the food was delicious and the value is excellent. The staff were friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. I would particularly recommend the evening favourites menu for some affordable mid week dining. As said above the menu running from 6pm onwards is excellent for anyone with a busy schedule who finds it tricky to make early reservations.
Let me know in the comments below if your a fan of Jamies Italian.
SAMMIE