Rossini - Perfectly Sliced And Priced At New Italian Restaurant

There is something very exciting about discovering a new restaurant: the staff are enthusiastic and eager to please, the menu a mix of old and new favourites and the decor can be just as important as the food,

At the new Rossini restaurant in Shipley they have completely ripped out the interior of what was formerly the Da Tonio Italian restaurant and started from scratch.

The last time we visited was on a cold Valentines night when it felt like you were on a conveyor belt, one couple out, the next one in. Da Tonio seemed to be the place to go to for a good Italian meal although the interior had not been refurbished in years.

Rossini have done a good job with the interior design of the new restaurant - it looks classy and on trend.

These are different times though than 4 years ago since we were last here. I would feel very confident bringing anyone to Rossini who has fears over COVID-19. Before you enter the restaurant there is hand sanitizer and again once you are inside the welcoming restaurant. It is the first stand alone restaurant we have been to where they have a screen that you stand in front of to test your body temperature.

The Italian staff all wear visors, tables are 2 metres apart, screens separate tables, giving you the feeling that the safety of customers and staff is top priority.

Italian music plays in the background, by that I mean popular Italian music such as Eros Ramazotti, Zucherro and the likes. I suggested to them that perhaps they should play some Mario Biondi (Italy’s answer to Barry White, not in size but in voice). You can’t have an Italian playlist without Mario!

The prices will not leave a hole in your pocket. The pizzas start at £9.25 for a Margherita, up to £11.00 for a Zuccotto pizza. The pasta dishes start at £9.00 for a Tagliatelle Bolognese up to £11.50 for a Linguine Nerano.

They do an 8oz Beef Fillet for £22.00 or Chicken Breast for £12.00, all served with skin-on fries and garnish. I can’t see the point though of going to an Italian restaurant and not eating pizza or pasta.

The starting sharer of Antipasto served with Italian cured meats and cheeses served with olives, sun-dried tomatoes and warm homemade bread, priced at £11.95 was nicely presented and although a little on the salty side was a good starter.

I must have eaten Italian pizzas from Turin to Taranto but I’m happy to say that the Pepperoni pizza served at Rossini was on par with the best I’ve eaten in Italy. It might be a little on the small side for a few but the ratio between price (£9.50) and quantity was well matched. I particularly liked the authenticity of the base of my pizza.

My partner chose the Penne Salmone priced at £10.00. Soft penne pasta in a creamy sauce with smoked salmon and pink peppercorns. Perhaps it might be better to ask them to cut back on the salt as my partner thought it a tad salty but enjoyable nevertheless.

Italians love chocolate - it is the only country I have eaten chocolate tart at breakfast. Fittingly the Chocolate Brownie seemed in keeping with upholding the chocolate tradition. Delicious and moreish served warm too, the Vanilla ice cream melted away like the view of Venice does In the heat haze as you head towards the islands of Murano or Burano.

My partner described her Lemon Cheesecake as “one of the best cheesecakes I’ve eaten in a long time”.

Rossini has a good atmosphere - you can dress smart or casual, like in Italy it is carefree and welcome to all. Everyone appeared to get good service from the attentive staff.

You never know, in the future they might even put Mario Biondi on the playlist with his hit Shine On. I think though that you will find that Rossini will shine for you too.

Rossini, Avondale Building, 26 Bradford Road, Shipley BD18 3NT
Telephone 01274 256000
http://rossiniitalian.co.uk/