Bite Me

The Italian Job



Papa Cino’s Review

I generally steer clear of Italian restaurants as I don’t eat pasta or pizza but colleagues at work recommended this restaurant and there was much more to the menu so we gave it a go.
The cellar restaurant is on the corner of Fish Street and Dychurch Lane right in the town centre.

Walking down the steps I wanted to love it. I have great memories of some lovely cellar restaurants I’ve visited in the past, they feel somehow exclusive, tucked away below ground as many people wander straight past the low-key doorways, unaware of the activity going on below . We were greeted by friendly staff creating a warm atmosphere, although the lack of air conditioning on an already warm evening may have added to this somewhat.

The decor is almost comically dated, as if a set designer on Doctor Who had been asked to recreate a seventies mediterranean eatery with the budget of whatever they could find down the back of the sofa.  The restaurant feels quite cramped, with little space between tables compromising privacy. We were seated next to the metal railings separating the entrance and the dining area which did leave us feeling a little like caged in monkeys. We were, thankfully, able to repress the urge to fling our own faeces at passers by.

My companion and I are not the most decisive when it comes to food and wine, often leaving the waiting staff doing just that, but the waiter suggested a bottle of white wine which was superb and wasn’t drowned out by the subsequent food choices of duck and lamb with which I would normally have chosen a richer red number.

Anyway, on to the food. The simple duck salad as a starter was substantial but tasty and refreshing with a zesty dressing while my partner had goats cheese crostini, simple but delicious, again a very generous serving

The chosen mains arrived swiftly, duck confit and slow cooked lamb in red wine and rosemary jus both served with smooth garlic mash. I have attempted the red wine and rosemary combo on several occasions and it’s easy to overdo the rosemary making sauces medicinal but this was perfect, rich and glossy and moreish. The lamb was enormous so unwillingly I had to sacrifice the garlic mash.



The duck confit once again was plentiful, perfectly cooked and paired well with the savoury garlic mash. I had worried the cranberry jus may be over sweet but it was well balanced and I devoured the plateful in what I’ll assume is a new world record.





Desserts once again were overlooked, we can rarely manage a three course meal, especially when they are this generous but friends have said they are definitely worth a go if you have a sweet tooth and some room left.

The meal came to around £42 excluding the wine that we both feel was excellent value but what impressed me most was the staff and the service. They were delightful, funny and charming and knowledgeable about their product.  The decor may be more dated than ancient Rome but I loved the service and food. It’s a shame the building has not been maintained to the same standards as the food but we had a fantastic evening.