Continental Cuisine At Bandit, Mugger & Thief

Confidentials 1 April 2016

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WITH its exposed brick details and gilded mirrors, Bandit, Mugger & Thief feels more like the Northern Quarter than its Canal Street home. Yet it retains the same unpretentiousness and inclusivity as its neighbours, with regular Wednesday comedy nights and a host of weekly offers that are nigh on daylight robbery. Upcoming comedians include Edinburgh Fringe Fest stars like Harriet Dyer and John Hastings, which - considering Wednesday also boasts The Great Cheese Heist - promises fabulously funny nights aplenty.

There’s nothing criminal about this menu

All of this would be little use if the food weren’t up to scratch. Thankfully, with an experienced Italian chef at the helm and a menu to prove it, that’s not the case. A diverse selection of tapas-style dishes proves that great things really do come in small packages, from steaks to salads to seafood.

When Confidential tucked in, we discovered something for every taste - no easy feat - and ordered a medley of mains topped off with a homemade panna cotta for dessert (just the right amount of wobble, completed with strawberries dipped in chocolate) and a champagne cocktail for good measure. ‘Buonissimo’ indeed.

Champagne Cocktail

Mini margherita pizzas were crisp and tasty, with just the right ratio of tomato and cheese, served on a bed of fresh salad leaves. Penne arrabiata was subtly spicy, but not overwhelmingly so, delicately seasoned with hints of garlic and parsley. In contrast, the sauce used in chicken with Parma ham carried a strong undertone of wine: not that we were complaining...

Mini Margherita Pizza

Calamari lollipops were also a surprise, more drumstick shape than the traditional round lolly, which happily meant they were bigger than anticipated. Likewise with Queen scallops, ingeniously served with thick chunks of bacon and drizzled with garlic and lemon. Garlic King prawns completed the royal seafood equation, dished up with pitted olives and a slice of garlic bread which - much like the bruschetta - was fresh and tasty.

Calamari Lollipops

For the carnivores amongst us, ribeye steak strips were a collective favourite. Presented in a dramatic bowl and drizzled with stilton cream sauce and walnuts, they were something to behold both in taste and appearance. Everyone knows that cheese and steak makes a perfect pairing - Philadelphia has even made a national dish of it - but, when the steak’s as tender and succulent as this was, it’s truly a sensation.

Ribeye Steak

That said, vegans and vegetarians are well catered for too. As well as pizza and pasta dishes, vegetarian options include: cheese fritters with chutney; stilton, pear & honey salad; and vegetable risotto. Vegans are no less spoiled for choice, with dishes like lentil meatballs and soup of the day. Alternatively, opt for a spiced bean variety of the build-your-own burger or homemade potato gnocchi. Incidentally, we tried the ratatouille and were amazed that something with that many vegetables tasted so good. Maybe getting five-a-day isn’t so difficult after all...

Stilton, Pear and Honey Salad

In all, the meal was thoroughly enjoyable and we found the smaller portions encouraged sampling a greater variety of dishes: perfect for mixing, matching and getting together. It may be called Bandit, Mugger and Thief but there’s nothing criminal about this menu.

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