a well-known italian restaurant in birmingham,cielohas been in brindleyplace for eleven years, and changes up its fixed menu every fortnight to provide diners with flexibility. but does this constant change fit with the challenge of delivering truly authentic italian dishes?
atmosphere
the warm smell of garlic pounced right at our nose as we took the first step inside cielo, the aroma building up as we waited to be seated. the decoration is fairly simple and modern, featuring suede textured wallpaper, dim lighting, and a calmly flowing water feature.
food
we started off with the cestino di pane – a selection of warm freshly baked bread.two of the four rolls bore rustic toppings such as sunflower seeds and sundried tomatoes with rosemary.
on this occasion, the antipasto all’italiana seemed perfect as a starter. this was a combination of thinly sliced italian cured meats, a little too far on the salty side, but well acoompanied with the sharpness of sourly pickled artichoke, gherkin, pepperdew peppers, carrots, onions and soft baby mozzarella pieces served with a small portion of crostini kept the dish light and refreshing.
we also had cozze allo zafferano – a dish generously filled with fresh mussels and a vibrant yellow sauce made with a pinch of saffron, heart-warming garlic and fresh dill. compared to other white wine sauces, it was not over-potent, but rather creamy, velvety and created a gorgeous boost of flavour.
my main was linguine al granchio – linguine pasta with fresh crab meat, chilli and garlic in a vin blanc sauce.the pasta had a lightweight texture to it, which absorbed the sauce nicely, however, it started to get a bit oily towards the bottom of the dish. the intensely satisfying flavour of crab meat came through with almost every bite. on the downside, it seemed as if one promised ingredient was missing: chilli – there was no real kick.
my guest decided on the costolette d’agnello – cornish lamb cutlets and a small rack cooked to the preference of medium. the meat was tender, succulent and melted deliciously in the mouth. accompanying this was a watery yet highly flavoured barolo wine jus. and the smallest dip of the creamy shallot puree went a long way. crispy potato slices were fine, but i would have liked more of the honey-glazed baby carrots that came with the dish.
fondente al cioccolato (chocolate fondant) arrived amid a lovely aroma of fresh baked goodness. the texture was airy, with a thin layer of cherries above the gooey chocolatey sauce, and the sponge was rich in dark chocolate with a pinch of salt. the hazelnut ice-cream and bites of fresh raspberries were fantastic.
my indecisive guest chose the tero di dolci - a trio of desserts. the pannacotta was smooth and dense and vanilla in taste. it had a sweet raspberry jelly-like topping and an enjoyable crunch of toasted almonds. the pigmented blackcurrant sorbet was rather sharp, tangy and sweet once it had dissolved, but it was settled with a bite full of the light strawberry cheesecake.
drinks
cielo has a good menu of fine wines and champagnes but just a few popular cocktails. a glass of smooth, sweet and fruity montepulciano d’abruzzo was my choice, while my companion enjoyed a glass of pinot grigio rose – light and delicate, with sweet bursts of strawberry and berry flavours, and a soft finish.
pricing
cestino di pane = £3.95
antipasto all’italiana = £9.95
cozze allo zafferano = £9.50
linguine al granchio = £16.95
costolette d’agnello = £21.95
desserts = £5.95 each
montepulciano d’abruzzo = £5 (175ml)
pinot grigio rose = £5.75 (175ml)
overall
service was somewhat slow; we had a ten minute wait for the table and a roughly fifteen-minute gap between starters and mains. the food, however, delivered beyond my expectations and the staff were polite and attentive. a good option for special occasions, and for people who want a taste of flavoursome and convincingly authentic italian cuisine.