Latest Review stuart, Feb 29th, 2012
After walking along the beautiful, picturesque esplanade of Penarth on a crisp, spring-like morning, our destination led us to an archetypal Italian restaurant, Romeo’s by the Sea. On entering, we were warmly greeted by the mitred who led us to a table, which presented us with a frame view of the Sea and boats bobbing along the shore-line.
We were then left to peruse the menu at our own leisure. The menu itself comprised of a vast array of traditional Italian fare which whetted our appetite. After much discussion I chose the Brie Fritto, a deep fried bread crumbed wedge of Brie which arrived on a bed of rocket salad and was accompanied by a home-made cranberry sauce. The Brie had a crisp outer coating and inside the melted cheese was deliciously smooth and creamy, this contrasted nicely to the peppery taste of the rocket and the sweetness of the cranberry sauce.
My mother opted for the Cocktail di Gamberetti, the Italian version of prawn cocktail. This starter did not disappoint and all aspects of the dish were beautifully fresh. The prawns were incredibly succulent and juicy, as though they had been plucked from the Sea moments before and the lettuce was crisp. This was accompanied by a thick and creamy Marie Rose sauce, which greatly enhanced the sweet flavours of the prawns.
For my main course I ordered the Sogliola al Limone from the Fresh fish of the day menu. The dish itself was exquisitely presented and on arrival it filled the air with the gorgeous scent of lemons, which immediately transported me to the spectacular markets of Sicily. The fillets of lemon sole were cooked to perfection and literally melted in the mouth, whilst the accompanying lemon sauce was incredibly fragrant, zesty and silky smooth making the dish very refreshing and light, perfect for a lunch time.
My mother chose the Agnello alla Menta, which is a dish comprising of welsh lamb cooked in a red wine, mint and honey sauce. This dish combines the best of local welsh produce with Italian culinary skill and was delicious. The cutlets of lamb were cooked slowly in the flavoursome sauce making the meat beautifully succulent and juicy. The sauce itself was more like gravy in thickness and was infused with the subtle flavours of red wine, mint and honey which complimented the lamb nicely. In addition the sauce was smooth, silky and shiny and infused with the delicious lamb flavour.
To accompany our main meal we were presented with a fresh medley of seasonal vegetables beautifully presented in white china boat dishes. These greatly added to the presentation of the dish adding vibrant colour and flavour. Within the dishes was a combination of small roast potatoes, roasted courgettes, peppers and onions, which influenced the Italian theme once more.
After a few minutes hesitation we both decided to indulge ourselves in a dessert, I chose the Panna Cotta with fruit Coulis. The Panna Cotta was beautifully presented in a dessert wine glass and set to perfection with a slight wobble in the centre. The dessert was thick, rich and creamy and had a hint of vanilla flavour running throughout. The richness of the Panna Cotta was cut by a sharp, fruity strawberry coulis which was mouth-wateringly delicious.
My mother renowned for having a sweet tooth chose one of her all-time favourite desserts strawberry cheesecake, this was incredibly light and flavour full and was served with a small pot of cream if required. The cheesecake had a lovely crumbly biscuit base which was topped with a soft cheese cream filling that had been infused with strawberry flavour which was accompanied by fresh strawberry pieces.
Overall this was a very pleasurable dining experience in pleasant surroundings with very friendly, attentive and knowledgeable staff. Definitely would warrant a return visit!
