Cafe Maxsim, Wolverhampton

Want to get in the mood for a holiday? Then look no further than Cafe Maxsim,

With all the wonderful weather which has graced the West Midlands in recent weeks it seemed somewhat apt to try out a little slice of Mediterranean cafe culture when dining out.

Located slap bang in the centre of Wolverhampton, Cafe Maxsim is perhaps not the first place that springs to mind when you fancy a bit of a holiday-esque experience - but it is well worth venturing into.

In fact walking into the Darlington Street Mediterranean tapas venue is a bit like stepping into a foreign restaurant that you would stumble into while out and about abroad.

Small, with room for only a couple of dozen diners at any one time, it is the definition of laid back. We even dined while sat on sofas not too different to the ones we've got at home.

Fairy lights and tea lights on the table add to the relaxed ambiance.

For those extra sunny days there is a courtyard at the back for anyone who fancies braving a little al-fresco dining, and thanks to the added mood lighting outside it gives off the feel you could be somewhere more exotic such as Waikiki rather than Wolverhampton.

The relaxed theme is also carried through to the toilets - located outside - which have sayings on the wall which include handy tips for when making coffee for example.

When it comes to the menu there is plenty of choice and something for every taste with Italian, Spanish, Greek, French, Romanian, Turkish and English tapas available.

And be warned the portions here are almost as big as a full sized meal in many restaurants.

It's not a case of ordering starters and main courses at Cafe Maxsim, instead you order as many plates of food as you fancy which arrive as and when they are cooked. To make it a little easier to get your head around, the menu is split into numerous sections - breads, pasta, fish, salads, meat and more tapas.

The honey roast fresh salmon crouton (£4.70) was as nice as it sounded, warm baguette slices topped with the salmon which tasted really fresh.

Another popular choice was the Mexican chicken enchiladas (£5.35) which came in a warm tortilla and was served with a side salad. It would have made a light meal on its own.

Another generous portion came with the spinach and ricotta cheese tortellini pasta served with creamy mushrooms and mozzarella at £5.50.

It tasted great, nothing like frozen versions of the dish which can be found on many supermarket shelves.

The salads were also a good choice - again freshly prepared with the ingredients tasting like they had just been plucked from the ground.

The winter salad (£4.85) came with crispy bacon and a crouton while the Fattoush salad with fried halloumi (£4.85) was equally nice.

The Mediterranean chicken served up with a crispy herby breadcrumb and a garlic mayonnaise dip at £5.45 went down well - particularly the dip - as did the cheese-stuffed mushroom at £4.70 which were a hit with the vegetarians on our table.

For those who can brave desserts after such a hearty meal there are some homemade options to tuck into including tiramisu at £3.95 and a traditional Italian panettone at £3.95.

Anyone cash concious can save some pennies when dinning out here as it also operates a bring your own drinks policy so drinking your way through a couple of bottles of wine need only be as expensive as the prices in the local supermarket.

Coming in at £60 for a dozen dishes it is a cost friendly night out.

ADDRESS

Cafe Maxsim: 87 Darlinton Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 4EX

Phone: 01902 428999

Web: www.cafemaxsim.eu