Back At Dolce & Salato, Derby For A Spot Of Lunch
Published On Wednesday 8 Sep 2021 by Sticky Beak
See Recent Dining Out Reviews | See All Recent Reviews
After what seems like an eternity, His Nibs, me and Mummy Bird finally made it back into Derby for a spot of retail therapy. We shopped until we dropped, working up an appetite that could only be satisfied by Chef Lorenzo (Reno) Monterro at his restaurant, Dolce E Salato, in Derby’s Cathedral Quarter. The Man Bird and I had recently dined there in the evening, enjoying the three course fixed price menu on offer (there’s also a 2 course option, if you prefer) and had loved it so much that when Reno said he was hoping to open at lunchtimes, we said we’d visit with Mummy if he did.
The day we rocked up saw Reno furiously prepping for that evening’s service; I say furiously because, like many other venues, the pingdemic saw him cruelly short-staffed. However, in typical Italian spirit, he was not going to be beaten, and was soon whipping up a Piedmontese Lasagne for His Nibs and Penne with vegetables in a tomato sauce for Mummy and I that was utterly divine!!
Throughout the whole time we were there, Reno was entertaining us with non-stop chat and anecdotes – I seriously have no idea how he manages to do it; I have all on just cooking, never mind talking and prepping and serving other customers too! Reno had opened the restaurant door and turned on the music, so it wasn’t long before other people came in: an older lady nipped in for a coffee and then a diner booked in for that evening dropped off some flowers (clearly, there was a celebration of some sort).
Reno doesn’t have a license to sell alcohol and with it being lunchtime we didn’t want wine, so he served us a gorgeous Pomegranate and Blood Orange drink from San Pellegrino that was superbly refreshing.
So good is Reno’s food (well, he is a Michelin Star experienced Chef!) that evening tables are now getting fully booked up weeks in advance at weekends, which is so lovely to hear. I had a glance in the restaurant diary, and there are bookings right through to December in there!! Not wanting to miss out, I took the opportunity to snag a table for early next year so that The Flock could get together on my birthday. This Italian food-loving Bird certainly means to catch the (pasta!) worm.
Read all about our evening visit to Dolce Solato
| Out For Dinner At The Machine Inn, Ashbourne If you're a foodie in the Shire, you'll have heard the name Danny Box; and if you haven't, where the heck you been?!! This very talented Chef has formerly been in kitchens at The Read The Article | |
| Out For Tapas At Venga In Portishead His Nibs and I were working together as part of his day job and, after a solid days graft, decided to head out into Portishead for a bite of dinner. As is usual for me, when the weathers warm, it messes with Read The Article | |
| Sunday Lunch At The Kedleston Country House, Quarndon One of the best bits about the blog, for me, is that over the years we've got to see some raw talent at its inception and one of these happens to be Mr Leo Hill. Back in the day Read The Article | |
| Breakfast At The Cool River Cafe In Matlock Bestie Bird and Ginger Ninja came to stay for the weekend with His Nibs and I whilst The Bolton Wanderer wandered further than Bolton to Florida to see his favourite band! Our best-laid plans were Read The Article | |
| A Visit To The Newly Opened Hickory's Smokehouse In Oadby, Leicester The Man and I's favourite Smokehouse, Hickory's, added another string to its bow (or another steer to its ranch, if you want a Southern States analogy!) Read The Article | |
| Out For Dinner At Anoki Indian Restaurant In Derby It's always nice to know that you've done something right, and The Man and I figured that this must be the case as we were invited to review Anoki in Derby after recently visiting its Burton Read The Article | |
| Sunday Lunch At The Wheatsheaf Pub and Pantry, Bakewell Over the period of many years, decades, actually, His Nibs and I have eaten and/or drunk at The Wheatsheaf Pub and Pantry in Bakewell. It has been the best part of a year since Read The Article | |
| Sunday Lunch At The Barrel Inn, Bretton I don't care what anyone says, when the suns shining, there's no place more beautiful in the world than Derbyshire. With it being forecast to be a glorious weekend, The Man had set-to and booked Read The Article | |
| Sunday Lunch At The Prince Of Wales, Baslow It's been a fair while since The Man and I went into the Prince of Wales gastropub in Baslow, but I'm happy to report that nothing has changed since then; the super-friendly team and relaxing Read The Article | |
| Dinner At Olive, Belper After A Couple Of Cocktails At Gatsby's Those who know me, know that I don't do naps; unless I'm ill, but then that tends to be proper sleeps. However, this weather has got me spinning and, after having a read Read The Article | |