REVIEW: Little Italy

[graham]

OK. Once upon a time a restaurant reviewer divided all Italian restaurants into two.

He called it the 'Which Blair' project. You could categorise an Italian restaurant very simply. Either it had been visited by Tony Blair (think River Cafe) Or Lionel Blair. (Think innumerable Italian restaurants with chianti bottles covered in wax and turned into table lamps and pictures of the proprietor with his arms around Lionel Blair).

'Liddleedally' (or Little Italy) on the pine walk has always been resolutely the latter.

It's always been just a tad too obvious. Just a bit TOO Italian. Just a little bit naff?

But have you been there recently? The Maitre' d is ex Giardanio from Pollensa and he - like his restaurant - is enjoying a new lease of life.

OK. So he's French not Italian. But his exuberance is obvious. And his passion second to none. His linguistics are somewhat tortured too. ( I was intrigued by something I'd never been offered before - a Schmollemonte Garlic. Was this a new kind of garlic from Schmallemont? No - it transpired it was simply a 'small amount of' garlic).

The pizzas were stunning. The flavours were huge and the price was tiny.

We went four times in two weeks and were never disappointed.

Rumour has it that Antonio Carluccio is a regular. I'm joinng the list too.

 

[kate1]

Fabulously entertaining review - you really made me laugh! I know exactly what you mean about Little Italy but having read this I am definitely going to give it another try!

 

[Belladonna]

I agree! Great entertaining way to write reviews and reminds me of the way Chris Stewart writes and the other guy who has written the Spanish lifestyle books - perhaps you are him in disguise!?

 

[its cd]

I love Little Italy .......... but only bewee Mid September and Mid May ............ i when the crowds aren;t there

For me it is a completely different restaurant out of season than in season

I think its because in season it's packed and it ( could be controversial here - but hey I'm entitled to state my observations ) also seems to have its fair share of groups of friends with really badly behaved kids who for some reason their parents think are "cute" .........

When we had tinies with us it wasn't Little Italy - it was the Coach House and we had a very simple rule ......... you sat and ate your meal and then when it was finished and if you'd behaved you left the table, got your ice cream and went to play on the beach but within sight and you DIDN'T keep running backwards and forwards between diners ......... to mess up an old song "once you were in you were in and once you were out you were out " ......... now why is that so difficult a concept for some of our Mummy and Daddy darlings to grasp !

So In season - we get a takeaway Pizza Espania to share on the beach for a late afternoon "tide you over" but out of season we sit on teh table that is just about inside and we get there at dusk and sit and have a drink before we order ........ the light on the boats is just about the best view I have ever seen and of course that is then topped by a great meal

 

[liz d]

Agree with all you say CD, what a perfect picture i now have of the light on the boats at thet special time of day....

 

[Belladonna]

Well said cd, good old fashioned rules for well behaved children too, and should be used for all children, no matter where they come from.
Love the idea of a takeaway too!

 

[car77]

Absolutely agree with you CD. We have kids ourselves (11 and 10) but I won't eat there as I can't stand some of the other other kids behaviour. Screaming, shouting, crying, pushing past tables etc. Can't be doing with it!!!

Car 77

 

[Gommar Goffer]

Oh I do miss the Coach House (before it was Little Italy(just to keep on thread))- their mussels and sardines were fab - but it wasn't open in the evenings of course

GG

 

[its cd]

GG are you sure about it not opening in the evenings ?

I am certain we ate there many a time in the evenings ..... my daughter waited for several years before she was old enough to be allowed out of the restaurant to play on the "big tree" also now sadly gone ............... did we really eat so early that it was late afternoon and not evening ? I don;t think we did but memory can play tricks can;t it

 

[Gommar Goffer]

CD - on reflection I do recall that in the latter time of the Coach House they might have opened in the evenings. In the early 70s it wasn't probably worth while as the Pine Walk was very quiet at night then as that end of the port was not really developed apart from the houses on the front and C'an Singala.

GG

 

[its cd]

Ahh that explains it , I am talking about early to mid 90's

 

[Linzzzz]

I've always been a big fan of Little Italy but have to admit that this year I was a tad disappointed with both the food and service (or lack of). I notice a couple of staff and menu changes this year so maybe that was the reason. Maybe I should have had pizza instead of pasta?

 

[its cd]

Great article

Great review of one of my favourite places


Restaurant review: Little Italy, Puerto Pollensa

 

[Baron de Lay]

Always enjoyed meals in Little Italy and can't remember ever having a bad one. Agree with CD that it's definitely worth missing during the height of the season.

Somehow, IMO, it's lost something since the big tree went down. Remember all the little white lights in it after dark and the kids playing around up in the branches?

The health & safety man would have a coronary!