The family owned mini-chain brings its glitz and glamour to this corner of Cheshire’s “golden triangle”. It’s a site with a history of restaurant failings over the years but San Carlo usually knows what it’s doing. And, although only open a couple of weeks, the place was packed on a midweek evening. We usually get our Italian food fix at their Fiorentina restaurant at the Marriott hotel near the airport but thought we’d give the new place a try just to see how it compares. Well, in truth, not that well.
Money has been spent refurbishing the place. Lots of money. Yes, there is indeed glitz and glamour in the refurb. But does it work? Well, in truth, not that well. It’s busy and bustling, as San Carlo restaurants always are, but the hard surfaces and lowish ceiling means the noise bounces around. At times, I struggled to hear my partner speaking (and, yes, I did have both my hearing aids in). Tables are a bit too close together, much less space between them than at Fiorentina, making it all feel a bit cramped. .
So, to the food. It’s the group’s main menu, packed with Italian dishes many of which you wouldn’t find in a “high street Italian”. And there’s their rather silly “specials” menu, with additional sea food dishes – preprinted and the same every visit, so nowt actually special about it. The dishes were going to be the same as available at Fiorentina but how would the cooking compare. Well, in truth, not that well.
One of good things about San Carlo is that several of the pasta dishes are available as starter or main course. One such is a classic - rigatoni all Norma. Usually a fairly thick sauce of aubergine, tomato, basil and garlic. Here, it was well flavoured but with only a little aubergine. And the bowl was swimming in sauce. Yes, I know that’s a complaint about there being too much food, but it just made it unbalanced with the amount of pasta and most of it was left. The other starter was burrata with thinly sliced tomato and a scattering of basil leaves. This could and should have been really nice but the burrata was fridge cold so had little flavour.
Saltimbocca is an old favourite, both at Fiorentina and at other Italian restaurants. And it’s done well here. Three thin slices of veal, topped with Parma ham, with a little white wine, sage and butter sauce. It needs a couple of contorni to go with it – saute potatoes and crisply fried shreds of courgette fit the bill. Tagliata is another classic dish but this was not a good representation. The slices of steak were accurately cooked and tasty in themselves, but lacked seasoning, except for a topping of garlic and parsley. The rocket had no dressing. Usually, thin shavings of Parmesan are scattered over the plate. But, not here. What they serve is an unappealing thick slice of the cheese.
I have in the past reckoned that San Carlo’s tiramisu is the best I’ve ever eaten (second best goes to a place in Burlington, Vermont). But that was some while back, when it was packed with the flavour of coffee and booze. And the offering now was a disappointment – just a plate of sweet gloop. From the menu description, coppa di fragola sounded very summery – ice cream, whipped cream, meringue and strawberries. And it was fine as it was – even though there was only a single , lone, sliced strawberry. And accompanying complimentary glass dessert wine failed to appear.
Speaking of failing to appear, we’d ordered coffee when we ordered dessert. But it had to be chased. It hadn’t been entered to the system. Guy quickly brought it, apologising and saying it would be on the house.
It may be that some of the issues we experienced are due to the restaurant still settling down. But I doubt we’ll be back to find out – not with San Carlo Fiorentina being just down the road as well.
