4:00pm Monday 1st February 2010
By Maria Court
I HAVE eaten at Barolo in the Winton area of Bournemouth many times, and will continue to do so. I also know of people who favour this Italian restaurant above many others.
For those who have been before, you'll know of the warm ambience and welcome whether you are wanting a quick plate of pasta after work, a romantic dinner for two, or a fun evening with a larger gathering.
The décor is traditional yet cosy, and the staff always seem to have smiles on their faces. Don't be surprised if this friendly bunch spring a surprise on a nearby table, gathering around to sing happy birthday in their soaring Italian accents.
The food, however, is taken very seriously, and if you have any questions about a particular dish, an answer will usually be delivered with typical continental passion.
On the menu are pastas, pizzas, salads, rice dishes, chicken, veal, steak, lamb and fish dishes. The downside is you'll probably be stuck for choice, but the upside is that there'll always be something to suit your mood.
On previous visits I have enjoyed the deep fried mozzarella sandwich tossed in tomato sauce as a starter, as well as aubergines topped with tomato sauce and grated cheese and baked in the oven.
This time, we were dithering a little over the impressive array of appetisers, so the chef kindly put together a small sample platter of some of Barolo's most popular dishes for us.
We were served the fat and fabulous gamberoni all'aglio (king prawns in garlic), funghi trifolati (mushrooms in crisp breadcrumbs with a garlic mayonnaise dip) and calamari fritti (tender fried squid in a light crumbly batter tossed in garlic and lemon juice).
A number of dishes tempted us again as a main course, particularly from the fish section. The fillet of salmon gently fried in a sherry and ginger sauce sounded fabulous, as did the king prawns sauteed with pineapple in a creamy sauce flavoured with Malibu.
But sometimes only pasta will do, and I relished my tortellini campagnola. The meat-stuffed pasta was cooked with tomato, bacon, onion and mushrooms in a white wine sauce and was a lovely hearty warming meal on a winter evening.
I was warned that this dish was very filling, so I was glad I ordered a starter portion, which I still couldn't finish!
My friend quickly decided on the filetto Barolo - fillet steak cooked with peppers, mushrooms, onion, garlic, chilli and red wine, tomato and cream sauce.
The sublimely tender steak was cooked to her liking in a tasty sauce which didn't steal the show from the excellent fillet. The vegetables were impressive, too: crisp sweet carrots, fresh broccoli and proper roast potatoes which were fluffy in the middle.
To finish, we shared a moist tiramisu, an Italian dessert garnished with a befitting flourish: cream, fan wafers and a tiny Italian flag.
It's the little touches such as this which add to the charm of Barolo, and like its namesake, the Italian wine, it's worth savouring.
Barolo, Wimborne Road, Bournemouth, 01202 547213.
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