Altrincham Duck

we visited Tre Ciccio, a new restaurant opening it Altrincham today. Here is our review:

We attended the soft launch of this new and exciting Altrincham restaurant on 13 February 2018 ….. and really enjoyed it!*

Do not judge this restaurant by its cover – it looks tiny but the main section of the restaurant is in the cellar, this place is like the Tardis. It’s beautifully decorated and stylised, giving a warm glow and ambience. It feels rustic but of high quality – we were to find out that the design perfectly matched the food.

Tables are a little close together, but this adds to the cosiness and friendliness vibe. You can watch and salivate as the food comes out of the kitchen, and as the kitchen is directly open to the restaurant the smells fill the air and make you hungry!

Tonight there were no pasta dishes on offer which was a shame but we are assured that when they open on 14 February the full menu will include such choices. The menu is simple but does offer a range of choice, particularly the pizzas. We didn’t realise that the chicken dishes were to share so were shocked at the price tag of around £22 a plate – our waiter explained that we could order a single portion and it’d be half the price. This was explained on the menu, but underneath the information about the source of their chickens (from award winning farm Johnson & Swarbrick, Goosnargh, Lancashire) and we hadn’t noticed it. Because this is a unique concept it would be helpful to make this a little clearer otherwise people may be put off by the price.

Upon arrival we were offered olives and drinks. We ordered a beer and a glass of prosecco which came in a really quaint glass, this suggested that they’d thought of every detail. This place really does feel unique. And, by the way, the olives were some of the best we’ve ever had!

For starters we shared Bocconcini Fritti (crumbed buffalo mozzarella) and Bruschetta Del Giorno topped with ripened tomatoes. It’s fair to say that we demolished these! Both dishes tasted light, fresh and delicious. If were being really picky we’d asked for a balsamic glazing to the bruschetta, but perhaps that’s just the way we like it.

Between starter and main we ordered more drinks – sparkling water and a Primitivio (red wine). There is a simple wine menu with just two options for white/red/rose all available by the glass. Unfortunately, there was no description as to the flavours of the wines which we would have appreciated.

Mains arrived promptly. The visual impact of the Diavola pizza matched its taste – light, fluffy, handmade, quality ingredients. The spicy Nduja was warming rather than hot, hot, hot – perfect. Whilst the Pollo Con Funghi (chicken and mushrooms) sounds basic it was a feast of flavours. The potato wedges were seasoned to perfection, lovely and soft on the inside with a crisp crunch on the outside. The chicken was literally half a small chicken, but carved into smaller pieces so that it was easier to eat. Our only critique of this dish was that there were not enough mushrooms and a little too much oil on the plate.

So excited by what we had eaten already we had a dessert! The warm chocolate tart, Torta Al Cioccolato, was rich and too good to leave any of. Whilst the Torta Al Limone (lemon tart) accompanied by a sorbet was light and refreshing. The perfect end to a fabulous meal.

As for pricing – we believe that this is spot on. This is flavoursome, good quality, authentically cooked food. Starters are £6-7 with sharing platters (which looked amazing) £19. Pizzas range from £7 - £13, the higher end being a ‘gourmet pizza’ (although we ordered from the classic section and to us that was gourmet enough!) Desserts are £5.50

We can’t finish our review without mentioning the service – it was relaxed and efficient. Our main server Joe was a breath of fresh air. He had a sense of humour, knew the menu, was friendly and was informal whilst being attentive. All the staff clearly love and are invested in the restaurant and its food, they want it to be a success. This is not a brand/franchise, it’s an independent and the owners are obviously aware that a happy customer means return trade. And, on that note we can say with certainty that we will be back.

Good luck Tre Ciccio, in a town full of eateries we think you have something special, unique and authentic.

Tre Ciccio

*Disclaimer – as this was a soft launch we were not charged for our meal. Having attended soft launches before we had expected to have to pay our bill, even if it was at a discounted rate. This has not affected our opinion of the restaurant.