The moment you glide (I like to pretend I glide) into the impressive dining room of Massimo at The Corinthia, you know you’re in for a luxurious few hours.
The grand pillars, giant high ceilings and extensive wine cabinets adorning the walls leave you with no doubt of this.
However, instead of feeling imposing or intimidating, the incredibly personable staff make sure you are at ease from the second they take your coat. The sound of raucous laughter at a nearby table was welcomed rather than looked down on.
So far, so refreshing.
The all-Italian (as far as we could tell!) staff have a great sense of humour, including an extremely knowledgeable female sommelier who couldn’t wait to “take you on an experience” through wine pairings. With over 250 bottles, we’d definitely recommend leaving it in her more than capable hands. Our top pick was the Montefalco by Adanti 2011 from the Umbria region, she was a winner.
Portions are quite generous so we think you’d struggle to order the traditional Antipasto, Primo, Secondo AND Dessert, but feel free to prove us wrong!
Especially when the bread basket comes along to tempt you with freshly baked focaccia. Who can resist that?
We selected plump, juicy scallops to start which were served on an apple and celeriac salad.
Fresh pasta is made on site, think squid ink spaghetti, spinach pappardelle and pumpkin & Amaretto ravioli, and can be order as a starter or main course. The wild boar ragout is slow cooked and given an interesting twist with fresh orange – sounds a bit weird but totally works.
If you resist pasta as a main there is also fresh fish and meat. Rabbit is served on a rich truffle infused polenta with roasted garlic. Or if you’re feeling like a bit of theatre, order the whole sea bass which will be filleted at your table. Roasted potatoes with herbs are a great addition no matter what you go for.
Desserts include all the traditional Italian favourites, pair with the Moscato dessert wine which has the slightest spritz to it, refreshing you before your reluctant journey home! As the chef explains, this is not to be rushed, so take your time!
With passionate staff, proud of their Italian menu, Massimo hits the perfect balance and makes every day feel like a special occasion.
What’s more, the elegant bar boasts a charcuterie counter serving regional antipasti – perfect for light lunches and early evening aperitivo.
At the moment you can also get two courses at lunch for the absolute bargain price of £19.50 or three courses WITH a glass of prosecco for just £30. Really good value, we’d highly recommend snapping this up.
RESTAURANT HAS NOW CLOSED PERMANENTLY
