When Antonio Carluccio opened this first cafe his aim was to provide great quality and authentic, Italian food at sensible prices. He also wanted to allow formal but excellent service to his customers. Today the 77 year-old cookery writer owns over 80 restaurants in the UK but his aim remains the same today so the godfather of Italian cuisine was on hand to oversee the official opening of his latest venue in West Bridgford, Nottingham.
NottinghamLive was lucky enough to be one of the invited guests at the grand opening on 13th May of the all-day Italian Restaurant, food shop and deli on Central Avenue in West Bridgford. The venue was buzzing when we arrived. A free hog roast was on the go on the al fesco seating area whilst indoors a table was laid out with tasty cured meats and crisp bread sticks. Staff served guests with a variety of delicious Canapés and were attentively on hand to constantly refill our glass with Prossecco ensuring we were always on the right side of tipsy.
The new 114 seater restaurant mixes contemporary design with modern, making it an ideal choice for an Italian coffee and breakfast, pastries, lunch on the go, or even a three course meal. Whilst sipping our fizz we browsed the shelves laden with beautifully packaged Italian products, many sourced direct from artisan producers in Italy. Lovers of Italian food can choose from a range of olive oils, sauces, pesto and pasta to take home with them, as well as traditional Italian biscuits, chocolates, wine and even picnic hampers to take away.
Freshly made bread, ciabatta sandwiches, salads and sweet treats prepared daily by Carluccios chefs can also be picked up at the delicatessen. Using the freshest seasonal ingrediants, the varied restaurant menu offers something for everyone.
Antonio Carluccio, who stared in the BBC 2 show Two Greedy Italians, says the secret of Italian food is simplicity and taste with his motto being ‘mof mof cuisine’ – standing for minimum of fuss, maximum of flavour. With 20 cookery books to his name and over 3000 recipes in his repertoire, the celebrity cook even once employed Jamie Oliver in the kitchen of a restaurant in Covent Garden before he became famous so he certainly knows his stuff.
Recommended dishes on the menu at the new restaurant include, for starters Parmigiano (Parmesan chunks drizzled with sweet aged balsamic vinegar), Bruchettine and a selection of Antipasti. For main course, there are over 11 pasta dishes to choose from including Carluccio’s signature Ravioli (homemade delicate ravioli filled with spinach and ricotta), Spaghetti alle Vongole and classic Spaghetti Carbonara, plus a host of other mains including Fegato alla Griglia and Tagliata di Manzo. Desserts are freshly made daily and include Tiramisu aI Frutti di Bosco, Gelati Artigianali and Meringa con Panna al Frutto dells Passione.
If you’re keen to master the basics of Italian cooking, the restaurant will also be holding a series of culinary classes, details of which will be announced soon. Who knows, maybe you could be the next Carluccio? In the meantime, why not get yourself over to West Bridgford to sample a taste of Italy on a plate.
For more details call 0115 9470309 or visit www.carluccios.com
By Tanya Raybould
