Piccolo Mondo
- Telephone 0141 248 2481
- Food served Mon–Fri noon–3pm, 5.30–10pm; Sat noon–10pm. Closed Sun.
- Pre-theatre times Available at all times, must be booked
- Average price £12.50 (set lunch); £25 (evening meal)
- Pre-theatre price £15.50
- Website www.piccolomondo.co.uk
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The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).
This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.
Being greeted at a reception desk and following a suited maître d’ into a high-ceiling restaurant with plush carpets and white linen is not too common an experience in modern day Glasgow. There’s a sense of grandeur emanating from every part of the restaurant, which is popular for business lunches and offers excellent value in its ‘celebration menu’. The wine selection is to be marvelled at. With its own sommelier handpicking over 250 bottles, there’s something for every taste and every budget. Food is classically Italian. To start, stuffed mushroom are huge, crisply fried balls packed with cheese and ham. Pasta dishes include linguine alla marinara, which delivers a peppery, creamy sauce with satisfying chunks of prawns. A seared chicken breast, meanwhile, sits on a bed of spinach in a sweet tomato sauce with crisp roast potatoes – though saffron rice seems an unnecessary inclusion. Surprisingly, desserts lack imagination and bite though this is a minor blemish on a venue that holds a charm which radiates throughout.
- High point: Classic dining experience
- Low point: Desserts seem something of an afterthought
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 20
- Private dining: Up to 18 covers
- Provides: Gluten-free options, Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Wheelchair access, Pre-theatre menu, Free wi-fi
- Music on stereo: classical piano
- Capacity: 70
- Largest group: 90
- Open since: 2006
- House wine: £17.50 per bottle
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2.
Glasgow Loves Food Blog – 1 Feb 2011, 7:52pm
Piccolo Mondo
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A lunch appointment with a business colleague Brian brought me to the middle of Argyle St to Piccolo Mondo on a Wednesday afternoon.
As I walked through the door I was greeted by a smart waiter with bow tie and waistcoat and quickly walked through the dining room to the back where my dining companion was already seated.
The dining room is kitted out with red plush carpet, leather backed chairs, brass fittings and the odd Romanesque statue dotted around for Italian authenticity one presumes!! Not what I expected on this part of Argyles St.
We opted for the Executive 2 course lunch menu at a reasonable
£12.50 per head. It has a decent choice of starters and main courses from soups, antipasto and shellfish to start to mains of meat,fish and pastas.The waiter came round with a free basket of Italian bread and butter then described the special additions to the menu for the day. A nice touch I thought especially with a set lunch menu.
I opted for the special soup of the day a Pasta & Fagioli soup while Brian chose the minestrone. The main course I ordered the penne princess with my colleague ordering capri chicken. The starters arrived in piping hot bowls with mine having a couple of slices of garlic bread on the side, the soup was a traditional tuscan soup of barlotti beans, potatoes, pasta and cured ham in a light broth with herbs and vegetables. As far as soups go this was up there with the very best I've had. Judging by the silence at the table my fellow diner had no complaints with his minestrone.
With the starters finished a brief 5 minute wait and the mains arrived again on piping hot plates. My pasta dish was very good served in a rich creamy tomato sauce with large chunks of chicken with a generous helping of Parmesan and pepper dished out by the waitress on delivery, a really tasty dish. Brian had no complaints with his Capri chicken although I did find it odd that it was served with both potatoes and rice.
With cleared plates removed from the table the waiter presented the desert menu (£4.00 supplement) with a reasonable choice of traditional Italian classics like tiramisu and pannacotta we both chose the not so classic hot chocolate fudge cake with cream and ice-cream. This was probably one of the few dishes on the menu which was not home made and was probably my first ordering mistake of the day. It was fine but not in the same league as the previous courses.
All in all If you are looking for an old fashioned dining experience with traditional Italian fayre then piccolo mondo certainly ticks the boxes. I would think nothing much has changed from the original Piccolo Mondo Renfrew Institution of the 70s and 80s.
All in all a fantastic lunch with a couple of soft drinks and coffee for a very reasonable £40.00.
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Cassandra – 4 Jun 2009, 11:45am
Piccolo Mondo
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I love Piccolo Mondo, after visiting with a friend one afternoon for coffee I decided to return for the festive menu on our Christmas night out. The menu had a great choice, and there was a number of options for vegetarians.
Offering great value for money with the menu ment we could splash out on a fabulous bottle of Barolo.
The meal was great and the service attentive but not intrusive. There was a wonderfull buzz about the place, cosy and intimate.
We returned again for my Birthday dinner. Tony and his team remembered us and made it a very special evening.
A lovely little find!
Average rating /5 from 2 reviews of Piccolo Mondo.
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