GALLERIA ITALIANA

MY husband and I were really looking forward to our reservation at Galleria Italiana.

We had heard great things about the Italian restaurant in Friar Street and its rating as Worcester’s number one eatery on TripAdvisor was surely confirmation of that.

So it’s to our absolute delight that we can now safely say we enjoyed one of the best Italian meals we’ve ever had at this delightful slice of the Mediterranean in the heart of the Faithful City.

It was a busy Friday night when we dined at the restaurant, although our waitress assured us it was one of their quieter evenings.

We were sat in a cosy and intimate part of the restaurant – perfect for couples – and there was more than enough room to slip into our seats without fear of bashing the people behind us.

The menu provided us with a wide choice, ranging from the expected pastas and pizzas to Italian-inspired main courses.

To start, I plumped for caprino (£5.25) – bread topped with layers of roasted aubergine and peppers, finished with oozing goats cheese and rocket – while my other half went for the calamari frutti (£6.95) from the specials menu.

We were quickly served with our beautifully presented plates of food.

My caprino was moreish, with the sharp goats cheese acting as the perfect partner to the rich roasted vegetables.

My husband was equally as delighted with his calamari, which was soft and succulent on the inside and surrounded by a light, crisp batter, accompanied by a zingy dressing.

For main, I opted for the fusilli matriciana (£8.65) pasta while my other half chose the calzone (£8.75) – a folded pizza.

The delicious, sweet tomato sauce coating the fusilli packed a tremendous punch of heat from chilli, which was accented by lovely smoky lardons of pancetta.

Although my husband thoroughly enjoyed his calzone, he would have loved more of the chicken, spinach and tomato filling and a little less of the dough encasing it.

To finish, we both went for desserts from the specials menu.

A light, cooling vanilla pannacotta with a strawberry sauce (£6.25) was the perfect end to my meal, and Craig’s raspberry ripple creme brulee (£6.25) was a delicious twist on the classic.

We washed the lot down with a very quaffable bottle of Italian Merlot (£12.95) and our bill just tipped over £50.

The service was fantastic throughout, with attentive waiting staff quickly clearing plates and swiftly bringing us a jug of ice cold water at our request.

And the atmosphere was buzzing, with that reassuring gentle hum of chatter as all the diners were clearly enjoying their food.

After telling our friends of our experience, there’s no doubt we’ll be returning again soon – but this time, with reinforcements!

HOW IT RATED

Food: 4
Service: 4
Ambience: 4
Value for money: 4