You may be forgiven for thinking Rio Ferdinand is more forgetful than he is effortlessly cultured, but when it comes to business ventures he has certainly hit the nail on the head with Manchester’s Rosso.
The restaurant boasts of typical features common with your usual up-market diner from the colour coordinated décor, luxurious lounge sofas and leather-look menus.
Yet Rosso has something special.
It has managed to find that perfect balance between classical and modern with two stunning Renaissance domes engulfing the ceiling juxtaposed against a two-tone bar of metallic panels and crisp white walls.
It certainly puts a little bit of Rome into a rainy Monday night in Manchester.
And just like Italy, a range of pasta delights are served by an army of waiters, tentative enough to make you feel as famous as Rio himself… if only for one night.
The starters range from prawns to platters starting at the more moderate £7.00 and creeping up the steeper end at £29.95. You can even opt for the cheaper and cheerful traditional bowl of minestrone soup.
We began with the Gamberoni Speziati, a selection of king prawns already shelled and beautifully pink, finished with a buttery herb and garlic sauce – not one for strict dieters – the rich sauce combined with each meaty morsel would have been perfect for a light lunch.
Moving on to more traditional Italian cuisine, ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta was bursting with chunks of tomato and lashings of light cheese.
The Risi Y Bisi risotto was fluffy and tasty but nothing spectacularly different from one made from Morrison’s finest ingredients.
Washed down with a bottle of house red (not bad at all for the house wine) and a couple of bottles of Peroni, I could feel my waistband rapidly expanding – however the best was yet to come.
Moving onto the pièce de résistance, the Filleto Di Manzo, a beautiful 28-day matured eight ounce steak, followed with a stack of lightly browned homemade chips and a chunky peppercorn sauce, really was the highlight of the evening.
The steak was cooked a perfect pink and was succulent and juicy – everything you would expect from the best cut of beef priced at £26.00. Not the cheapest in town, but it lives up to the price tag.
The chips were just like mother used to make, soft and fluffy on the inside but ever so slightly crispy on their exterior, these are perfect rustic English chips.
Yet it wouldn’t be complete without a sample of traditional Italian-made desserts as a platter of tiramisu, cheesecake, rum-soaked strawberries and profiteroles were ready to be devoured, and with prices starting at a respectable £5.95 there is no reason not to miss out.
Prices are up there but the quality is unmistakable and the portions are generous. Such good food, with such attentive waiters and the ostentatious setting, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone leaving too disappointed.
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