"There's not many restaurants
in town that we're yet to visit - inexplicably Villaggio
was one of them - the collection of mixed reviews we've
received since it opened 4 years ago, possibly pushed it
further down the 'to do' list. Interestingly, the reviews
were fairly accurate if this visit was anything to go by.
The service was
fantastic, very friendly, welcoming and with a warm sense
of humour. The exposed brickwork, wooden floors, open space
and bright lighting adding a modern attractive touch to
proceedings. Prices were very reasonable too with a 3 course
meal available at just £9.95 making the experience
even more affordable.
Sadly, the food
didn't reach the same levels. Whilst portion sizes were
huge, from the piping hot Funghi all' Aglio (£4.25)
to the humongous Pesce Spada con Pomodoro (£12.50),
quantity over quality seemed to be the approach. The Pesce
Spada (swordfish) was gigantic but was so overcooked it
tasted like tuna steak and the tomato sauce it was covered
in couldn't hide the dryness. This was in stark contrast
to the Swordfish skewers we enjoyed at MC
Cafe Bar & Grill the following night which, whilst
considerably smaller, left a far better impression and were
cooked to perfection. Maybe the chef at Villaggio should
take a quick walk along Canal Street to the Abode and check
out the difference in quality.
And that's possibly
the point about Villaggio. Despite being slap bang in the
middle of Canal Street, there are plenty of better alternatives
in this area. The likes of Tropeiro,
Velvet and Taurus are all in the village, whilst City
Cafe, Malmaison,
Michael Caines
and MC Cafe are barely
2 minutes walk away. They're missing a trick really as the
service, pricing and location should make it one of the
busiest restaurants in Manchester. As it is, we've ticked
it of the 'to do' list but it sadly won't be making the
'to do again and again' list."
-
restaurants of manchester (14/10/09 visited on a Weds evening) |
