Da Vinci's Italian Restaurant, Aldridge
Lisa O'Brien enjoys a relaxing mid-week visit to Da Vinci's Italian restaurant in Aldridge.
Where is it?
It's situated on the end of a parade of shops opposite Morrisons and next to Aldridge police station. It actually looks quite small from the outside so it's easy to miss when driving past.
So, what about inside? Did it make a good first impression?
It looked more like a small business at first as there was just one woman sat alone at a reception desk in a small room as we walked through the door. However, the restaurant itself is up a set of stairs covered in red carpet and occupies a large space.
There looked to be seating for more than 120 people, with tables accommodating couples to groups of 14.
It wasn't long before several groups of people, some celebrating birthdays and armed with balloons, started flooding in and filling up the place.
The restaurant looked modern and was nicely decorated. Soothing music played in the background, which reminded me of getting a massage at a spa rather than being in a restaurant. It was quite relaxing though.
So, tell me about the food. What's the menu like?
Well, it had all the pizza, pasta, fish and chicken dishes as you would expect, but there were also specials listed such as a duck breast dish and rack of lamb. There was a mid-week offer on when we visited which included three courses for £15.95 and a free bottle of house wine per couple.
There are a selection of five starters to choose from, five mains and four desserts. There's also an extensive wine list and offers on lunchtime, Sunday and Monday menus.
So what did you eat?
We were brought some olives and bread with oil and balsamic vinegar not long after sitting down at a table. To start, my dining partner and I shared a mixed platter of ribs, calamari, duck rolls, and Camembert cheese and mushrooms coated in breadcrumbs. It came on a long platter with salad and was served with a selection of dips.
The cheese was rich, the calamari tasty and the duck rolls crispy and lovely accompanied by the plum sauce.
Moving on to main course, I ordered a rack of lamb, topped with a red wine and rosemary sauce, on a bed of mash potatoes with seasonal vegetables. The vegetables were brought out in a separate dish and were boiling hot when they arrived. The lamb was tender and the mash potato was creamy. My partner ordered the spicy calzone pizza which provided plenty of food. The chillies seemed to be in one or two spots, rather than throughout, which meant the wrong bite led to you reaching for the water.
The dough tasted light and fresh and it was also filled with spicy meatballs, salami, cajun chicken and red onion, topped with spicy bolognese and mozzarella sauce.
For dessert, we shared the lemon cheesecake which was light and creamy and finished the meal nicely, with just enough room to fit it in. Portion sizes were generous to say the least.
What was the service like?
The staff were pleasant, attentive and friendly. Service came with a smile. There was a good amount of time left between courses but we were not waiting too long.
And the cost?
The bill came to £48.25, including a bottle of Pinot Grigio. Everything was reasonably priced and if you're dining on a budget there's always the three-course special menus to consider.
So, would you recommend it?
Yes. It offered good value for money in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
ADDRESS
Da Vinci's Italian Restaurant, 1-3 Anchor Parade, Aldridge WS9 8QP
Tel: 01922 457128
