Carluccio's Spinningfields #2

It seems that we Brits are getting awfully good at standing up for ourselves when we're dissatisfied by service or quality; according to The Guardian last year, we've become positively professional - and with our new ability to make a fuss, has come an equal and opposite reaction from those businesses we complain about.

I recently had a very disappointing experience at Carluccio's in Spinningfields.  This beautifully designed restaurant is set in Manchester's stylish urban interior, where diners (both inside and out) find themselves surrounded by tall buildings and the bold and beautiful of this most fabulous of Northern cities.

I did inform the manager at the time of my disappointment, and she dealt with it exactly as you'd expect - no charge for the dodgy dishes and a free glass of wine (translated into chocolate pudding in my case!)  However, I felt that this wasn't enough.  A restaurant chain of this size, and with a reputation for good food well served, shouldn't be allowed to quieten down one customer at a time...so I blogged it here.  And they responded.

In addition to a personal email from the Operations Director seeking more information, I was invited back, with my family this time, to see if they could do better.

They could, and did.

A venue like Carluccio's is not there to offer fine dining, extraordinary taste experiences and innovative approaches to antipasti.  No, they are there to provide people who like to eat out at a reasonable cost with reliably good food at a price generally considered to be value for money.  The menu should remain fairly fixed, a daily specials list should provide inspiration and excitement, and diners should be able to expect, and get, a 'safe' dining experience EVERY TIME.

Our meal was great.  On arrival the children were immediately provided with entertainment packs and drinks orders were taken straight away.

The menu is pretty huge, with a marvellous choice of starters.  I chose Bruschetta, which was lovely, but I wished I'd gone with my step-daughter's choice of Antipasti di Verdure.  Described by her as: "The best meal I've ever eaten" (No offense taken), it was a cornucopia of Italian delights, from fresh mozarella to foccacia to artichokes to aubergine.  But then, my 10 year old's GINORMOUS pile of Calamari was also a delight, and I risked a fork in the hand on several occasions reaching for a golden ring!  Mike went for the Arincini again - and I don't blame him.  Delicious last time and delicious this.

Main courses were just as you'd hope.  My Chicken in Lemon and Capers (from the Specials menu) was fresh, zingy and delicious.  Hubbie's steak was all polished off.  Amy and Zac chose the Ravioli.  My six year old is not renowned for his culinary experimentation, so to see him polish off a child's portion of ravioli with ricotta and spinach almost silenced me. (Only almost).  Amber's lasagne was a success too; two fussy eaters, full to the brim...!

One more thing definitely worth mentioning is the wine list.  It's pretty extensive and almost everything on there comes by the glass.  I chose the Nero D'Avola.  I've yet to be disappointed by this Sicilan red and at just £4.50 a glass it hits every spot!

A big thank you to Carluccio's for their effort to set the record straight.  I had a lovely chat with the restaurant manager who told me all about the new chef, his experience and his commitment to bringing on his team.  Consistency is all here, and she assures me that anybody choosing Carluccio's Spinningfields WON'T be disappointed.