I’ve spoken previously about my issues with chains. I’m not anti-chain exactly, we’ve all been visiting a new place and rather than chance somewhere unknown (especially when with fussy friends or relatives) you’ve gone for safe and easy.
Unfortunately I let one bad experience colour my choices.
But last September I was rather pleasantly surprised with Zizzi Ristorante on Spinningfields, so when the invite came to the opening of the newest restaurant on Piccadilly, I had no qualms about accepting.
Of course, as with Beef & Pudding, this can’t be classed as a full review, but hope it will give you an idea of the experience you will have at this venue.
The Piccadilly restaurant is very different from it’s Spinningfields cousin. Spinningfields is very white and airy, light and, for want of a better word, posh. It fits Spinningfields perfectly, as a place to meet colleagues for lunch, or even for a business lunch, meet a potential new client, or take a date, it works in that space.
Piccadilly on the other hand, is warmer, busier, bigger. If Spinningfields is somewhere you’d take your date, Piccadilly is somewhere you’d take your family. It reminds me of a big Italian kitchen and downstairs the space is almost cavernous.
The atmosphere is different too – both sites offer a lovely friendly welcome, but Piccadilly is more likely to envelope you in a bear hug, whilst Spinningfields would kiss you on the cheek.
Greeted with an Aperol Spritz to start us off, we were guided to the dining space downstairs. Complete with its own bar, and vast number of tables, it’s a space in which it’s easy to lose time (and given it’s location, anyone with memories of Piccadilly 21s will know what I mean).
As you’d expect with a chain, the menu is very much the same as the other sites, and to start us off, our table was graced with a platter of starters for us to sample.
The star of the platter was the calamari. The garlic bread was delicious, the fresh pesto was, as ever delightful, but the calamari was perfect – crisp batter, tender squid, no grease, just how it should be. Unsurprisingly, it was the first dish on the table to disappear.
Onto mains and one of my long term favourites for me (and one I make at home regularly), Linguine Al Gamberi – prawns with courgette ribbons in a hot chilli, lobster and tomato sauce. I love the simplicity of these flavours – spice from the chilli, sweet seafood, balanced with freshness from the tomato and courgette.
My date for the evening, Claire, selected the Casareccia Pollo Picante – spicy chicken in a creamy sauce, fresh tomato and baby spinach. The chicken was tender, the sauce creamy but light and the pasta perfectly cooked.
Our other dining companions had the Pollo al Proscuitto and the Lasagne al Forno.
The chicken was declared tender and juicy and the sauce lovely and rich. Unfortunately the lasagne was less of a hit, it’s breadcrumb topping not quite hitting the crisp notes it should, though perhaps this was down to sheer volume of diners on the night.
For dessert, we were treated to a trio of lovelies – classic Tiramisu, Chocolate Tartufo and Lemon Meringue sundae.
As with the one I had at Spinningfields, I have to admit the Tartufo defeats me. It’s rich, dense and chocolatey – delicious, but too much for me. The Tiramisu as ever was rich and firm but light, just as it should be.
The sundae is a great idea and despite it seems my dining companions having a poorer experience of it, mine was lovely – enough meringue, but not too much, a good amount of sorbet balanced to cream. I’d more than happily order it from the menu.
Overall? Zizzis impress me with how clever they’ve been over the two venues – the same menu, different locations, different decor, different atmospheres.
I’d be more than happy to head here with the family or a group of friends – the food is lovely, the atmosphere relaxed and the location is perfect for heading home a little over full.
This meal was from the launch night at Zizzi Ristorante Piccadilly, and as such were at the invitation of the restaurant.