Mother's Day at Amore

On Sunday, I made a return visit to Whitefield’s new Italian restaurant, Amore, this time with the family, in celebration of Mother’s Day.

I first visited back in January, shortly after it opened, having replaced The Buddha Lounge and now serving as a sister venue to the nearby Ivory Bar & Grill. Since its days of serving thai cuisine, it’s had a complete refurbishment, and the interior is now totally unrecognisable. It has a fresh, modern, bistro vibe, with white bare brick walls and comfortable sofa-style seating. The shape of the building has been manipulated to its full potential, with the bar in the middle and the tables all around the edges. 

Although I was impressed with the surroundings on my debut visit, I was disappointed by the somewhat limited choice on the a la carte menu, and the no greater than average food.  This time was a completely different experience altogether, as we dined during the day, choosing from the special Sunday Lunch menu, a set-price menu offering two or three courses.  

It’s a varied menu with an excellent choice, featuring both Italian dishes similar to the a la carte offerings, alongside the traditional English Sunday roasts. I love an opportunity to mix up cuisines across the courses. To start, I had Arancini; risotto balls stuffed with ragu and mozzarella and fried in breadcrumbs. They were soft and gooey in the middle, without being too stodgy and very flavoursome. I think the dish would have been tastier had the arancini been served within a tomato sauce, in order to provide a little more moisture.

Arancini

For main course, it was a traditional roast beef dinner with all the trimmings. I made a mistake in requesting for the beef to be ‘well done’. I’m not entirely comfortable with eating meat with a pink coloration. However, it was a little too overdone for my liking, and was on the verge of becoming leathery, but I admit that was entirely my fault. If that’s your preference, it would be perfect. The seasonal vegetables accompanying the beef were steamed carrots and broccoli, a delicious flavoursome carrot and swede mash, leafy spinach and crispy roast potatoes. The star of the show, however, was the gargantuan Yorkshire pudding. It may have been supersized but inside it was light and fluffy. Drizzled in gravy, it helped to make the main course everything a roast dinner should be.

Roast beef dinner

Dessert time once again saw me scouring the menu for a non-cake option. It was time for me to experiment, with a banana soufflé. I’d never had a soufflé before, neither savoury nor sweet. The French dessert comprised of beaten egg whites and yolks was soft and gooey inside, reminding me of a half-baked meringue, with the top puffed up. The banana gave it a natural sweetness without being overbearing. It was served with a jug of toffee sauce and pecan ice cream which, unfortunately, was nestled on a bed of chocolate crumble, meaning I had to give it a swerve. This was a real shame, as the ice cream would have complemented the soufflé perfectly, softening its sticky texture. They say if you don’t try, you’ll never know, and I’m certainly glad I tried the soufflé.

Banana soufflé served with toffee sauce and pecan ice cream

Amore provided the perfect setting for a relaxing Mother’s Day afternoon. Their set price Sunday Lunch menu is of great value, especially as the quality of the food is superb and the portions are generous. Notably, it makes a change to have a decent selection of desserts on an Italian restaurant’s set menu, as usually you’re limited to tiramisu or ice cream. Alternatively, you can select from the a la carte menu, which is available all day alongside the Sunday special. 

Having been left unsure of the place following my first visit, this gorgeous Mother's Day meal officially earned Amore my seal of approval. I now wouldn't think twice about returning, especially on a Sunday. 

All the menus are available at:  https://amorewhitefield.co.uk/