I absolutely adore going out for dinner and it's a huge part of my life even though it's something I never document here on my blog. I can't think of anything better than sitting down for a meal with friends and having a wonderful catch up and this Thursday I did exactly that with the lovely Julie-Ann: one of my best friends and the writer of Our Dreams Of Fashion. We enjoyed some very belated birthday celebrations for my 22nd birthday at the new Italian restaurant in John Lewis called Rossopomodoro and they were actually kind enough to provide Julie-Ann and I with a complimentary 3 course meal for our visit.
You'll find Rossopomodoro located on the first floor of John Lewis, nicely situated on a balcony overlooking the rest of Eldon Square. It's a lovely way to escape the hustle and bustle of the busy shopping centre without straying too far away from the shops and I have to say it looks particularly beautiful at this time of year with all the twinkling Christmas lights overhead. The restaurant itself is rather modern with quirky little features adorning the walls including cute little phrases like 'Get A Pizza This', pictures on the ceilings and the most amazing glittering gold oven which wouldn't look out of place on Pinterest.
We received such a warm welcome and everyone at Rossopomodoro was so friendly and accommodating to our needs. Not only were the waiters attentive and really helpful but our meals arrived quickly too. Our waiter (who's name I can't seem to recall and I'm kicking myself for it!) really made us feel at ease, he looked after us both wonderfully and he actually made us laugh too! He was full of recommendations and he really made our visit even more enjoyable!
For my starter I opted for the Fungi e Pancetta from a lovely selection of bruschetta available on the menu. Chargrilled homemade bread, wild mushroom cream, crispy pancetta, garlic, parsley and chilli make up this dish and even though the mushroom cream isn't the most attractive thing in the world it tasted delicious. The pancetta was the perfect amount of crispy - not too hard and not too soft - and for me it was the perfect size for a starter. At £5.45 I also found it to be reasonably priced and I'd definitely order it again! As Julie-Ann is unable to eat gluten unfortunately there wasn't a starter suitable for her the menu but during our visit we found the staff to be so accommodating and helpful with her dietary requirements. In fact, she found her dessert to be so delicious it was gone before I had chance to snap up a picture! If you're interested in her choices and want to know more about the Gluten Free menu at Rossopomodoro you can read her post about our visit here!
For my main I opted for a pasta dish, something a little surprising in a restaurant that specializes in making authentic Neapolitan Pizza. As I really have to be in a pizza mood to order one I decided to order the Gnocco and to be completely honest it was probably the best Gnocchi I've ever tasted. So much so I've actually been craving it ever since... Considering it's quite a simple dish of potato gnocchi, cherry tomatoes, smoked mozzarella and Parmesan it was somehow packed with flavour and it had such a wonderful texture. Luckily, Julie-Ann opted for the Marinana and I have to say it looked amazing and apparently tasted incredible too. Her Marinana was only £6.95 which, for the size and quality of her pizza, is an amazing price and my Gnocco was £10.95: a price I wouldn't think twice about paying now that I've tasted how delightful the dish is!
Did I honestly have any room left in me to eat dessert? No, not really but I was determined to give it my best shot and I'm so glad that I did. I decided to take the waiter's recommendation: the Ricotta e Cioccolato which surprised me when it arrived. Just look at it! With chocolate and creamy buffalo ricotta mousse at the bottom, Pan di Stelle hazelnut biscuits on top and a mixture of red fruits scattered around it it's quite a masterpiece. The mousse was rich and so tasty and contrast of the fresh raspberries and strawberries and the slightly bitter berries really added some flavour and stopped my dessert from being too sickly. At £6.95 it's not the cheapest on the menu but it was definitely worth the price especially as it's something I would usually share rather than eat all by myself.
If you're doing a spot of shopping in Eldon Square or simply on the hunt for a new Italian restaurant to try I can't recommend Rossopomodoro enough. When it comes to Italian food I have to say I think they're one of the best that I've tried in the city and with such a lovely location, kind staff and scrumptious food I can't seem to find a fault with Rossopomodoro! Their full menu it can be found here on their website if you're interested in finding out more.
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