The Best Of The Menu At Manchester's Most Romantic Italian
WALKING through the airy reception area at Don Giovanni, it's clear this restaurant knows exactly what they're about. There's no gimmicks here – which is testament to the real, honest food and traditional Italian flavours.
People eat here because they're hungry. We want them to leave feeling satisfied.
The space is open and honest. Large windows and mirrors provide a relaxed and genuine feel, and fresh flowers offer a subtle pop of colour – as do the baskets of market vegetables, floured breads and spring greens, kept in open view of the clientele.
The menu follows suit too. As chef Rajmond tells us – simplicity is key.
“You can't mess around with food,” he says – as Service Manager Enzo serves a freshly cooked sea bass to a table of four hungry diners, sets the salt crust aflame and begins to uncover the succulent meat beneath.
“Our recipes work because of their simplicity. We keep the meat tender, the vegetables fresh – and give people a good-sized portion. That's why our customers come back.”
Rajmond's attitude to food is very different to some of the chefs out there. He doesn't believe in serving small portions of handsome food – like artwork on a plate, rather than something practical to fill an empty tummy.
“People come to eat here because they're hungry,” he tells us. “We want them to leave feeling satisfied.”
We can certainly vouch for this as Rajmond serves dish after dish of of hearty Italian food to our table.
“My top picks from the menu,” he tells us, as he places a steamy plate of veal escalopes on the table. “Everything you see here is what I personally love. I love cooking it, and eating it afterwards. So if you've anything leftover – ”
We don't think so, Rajmond.
Spoiled for choice, we pick up our cutlery. Should we dive straight in for the spaghetti, served in a lobster shell with meaty flakes and creamy sauce? Or do we pace ourselves with a stonebaked bread sharer – topped with fresh rocket, Parmesan and cherry tomatoes?
We decide on the latter, and work our way around the dishes. There's a theme here. Everything is certainly hearty. The meat is soft and juicy – even the octopus (not one of our usual favourites) is cooked to perfection. It's served warm too – a twist on the traditional cool offering found in other restaurants, and it makes all the difference.
Chefs Top Picks For Don Giovanni's Spring 2017
Polpo
The octopus is served warm. This is a bit of a twist on the traditional offering found in other restaurants, and it makes a big difference. The texture is succulent and meaty, served with potato, celery and red chilli – which offers a subtle hit of flavour.
One to order if: You've never tried octopus before
Focaccia Speciale
Fresh stonebaked dough topped with Parmesan, rosemary, rocket and cherry tomatoes. This a sharing plate, drizzled with olive which enriches the flavours and keeps the dish from feeling dry. A hearty, carb-fest loaded with healthy toppings. The perfect balance for food lovers.
One to order if: You're out with friends
Spaghetti Aragosta
A huge portion – gorgeously presented. Spaghetti spills out of a lobster shell, loaded with beautiful meaty flakes, with onions and peas offering a element of sweetness. The cream sauce is expertly seasoned, and there's a subtle hint of basil in every mouthful.
One to order if: You're feeling hungry
Saltimbocca Alla Romana
A Don Giovanni menu staple. The veal is succulent and perfectly cooked – a soft, melt-in-the-mouth texture which is easy to enjoy. The parma ham shavings offer a salty, tangy flavour, which is softened by creamy butter sauce and fresh sage.
One to order if: You're a meat lover looking for something new
Don Giovanni's is a relaxed and classic establishment. Everything about the décor and atmosphere lends itself to the restaurant's philosophy of good, honest food.
Fancy trying the chefs picks for yourself? Click here to book a table.
