Prosecco
Zizzi

Zizzi

➤ 57 High Street, Winchester, SO239BL, SO23 9BZ, United Kingdom

Pizza • Cafés • Seafood • Italian


"Poor service, slow and careless. We went there for dinner whilst visiting the Christmas markets. As we walked in we were seated quick which was nice, but then seemingly forgotten about as we never saw that particular waiter again and didn’t get the chance to order a drink with him. 15 minutes went by and someone finally came over and asked if we’re ready to order food and we asked to order a drink first. We ordered our drinks and then waited another 15 minutes for them to arrive, in the meantime the waiter came back to take our food order. When the drinks arrived they were fine but they took way too long to arrive, and my beer glass was dirty but I just drank out the bottle. The starters arrived and mine was very nice, great food, except my partner was given the wrong starter instead of what she ordered. They corrected it but she only got to start eating when I’d finished my starter, or it would have gone cold. They seemed to forget about us again, never once came over to ask if everything was okay, and never gave us any cutlery either so we had to go find some ourselves from another table. It’s at that point you start to realise the service is slow and not good, and it’s not going to be a good experience. After we had both finished, no waiter came over to us to clear our table, ask how it was etc, nothing. Around 15 minutes after that our mains arrive still with dirty plates on our table, so they had to awkwardly put our food down and pick up the plates. Then even the table next to us spoke to us and said how they had been waiting ages for their food, and it was just such slow service since they’d arrived. They weren’t having a good time either. The mains were great, good food and tasty which was a relief to know that at least the chefs cared about their jobs as the waiters didn’t. Again not one person came back to check if our meal was okay or we needed anything. We were never again offered any more drinks apart from the start where we asked to order them. You couldn’t feel less welcome if you tried. 20 minutes had gone by and no one had cleared our plates still, it was just awful and so slow. It got to a point where I was trying to wave to the waiters to come over and that failed so I had to go up to one and ask them to clear our table and if we can have our desserts yet. Then she came over and took our plates away (after we literally had to ask her). Again didn’t ask at all how the food was, or if we needed any other drinks, despite our glasses being empty. Our desserts came and they were nice again, except my partners had a hair in it. So that was ruined. The whole experience which could have been lovely was just made awful by slow service and waiters/waitresses who don’t care about their jobs or customers and make no effort for the most simple customer service skills. The table next to us then were trying to pay their bill and found they had 2 extra random drinks on their bill which they hadn’t ordered and it seemed difficult for them to explain to the staff they they didn’t order those drinks and didn’t want to pay for them. Again, no one bothered to come over and ask how our desserts were, if everything was okay, if we would like a drink etc, you can just tell they couldn’t care less about you and were more interested in chatting to each other. Trying to get their attention was impossible. We sat there for 15 minutes after finishing our desserts with no attention or service from them, and so we just wanted to pay and leave. But again it was impossible to get the attention of the waitresses. So we started putting on our coats and getting ready etc to give them a hint, and then finally a girl came over and just said ‘have you paid yet?’ With not a care in the world that we STILL had dirty plates on the table not cleared etc. we quickly paid, said no to adding a tip which they clearly didn’t deserve, and left. It just puts a bad taste in your mouth. We picked Zizzi as we like it where we live, yet we’re completely let down by the staff who couldn’t care less about customers or serving and have no customer service skills whatsoever, and can’t be bothered to do the bare minimum to make people feel welcome and make them enjoy their time. An evening which was supposed to be so nice was just ruined by going to this restaurant, and had I seen the other reviews before hand I never would have gone to. Such a shame, just disappointing and won’t ever be going back or recommending."

San Carlo

San Carlo

➤ 4 Temple Street, B2 5BN, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Pasta • Steak • Pizza • Italian


"As we ventured into San Carlos in Birmingham for a delightful family birthday lunch, the atmosphere was alive with anticipation. The restaurant 's elegant yet comfortable setting was the perfect stage for our midday culinary adventure. The lunch was headlined by the 'pizza of wonder ', an extraordinary creation that reimagined the classic pizza. With its impeccably charred crust and a medley of exquisite toppings, each bite was a symphony of flavours, making it much more than just a pizza it was a celebration of gastronomic artistry. Next came the rib eye steak, which was the epitome of 'melt in the mouth '. Cooked to perfection, it was a tender, flavour packed delight that tantalised our taste buds. It wasn 't just a dish; it was an ode to the sublime joys of well prepared meat. The lasagne, staying true to its Italian heritage, was a culinary masterpiece. Its layers of al dente pasta, rich ragu, and silky bechamel sauce combined to create a dish that was both comforting and sophisticated. This lasagne was a charming mix of rustic and refined, capturing the essence of Italian comfort food. Then there was the chicken in white wine sauce, an absolute sensation. The chicken, tender and succulent, was bathed in a heavenly sauce that was both light and richly flavoured. It was a dish that showcased the perfect balance of ingredients, each mouthful a testament to the chef 's skill in harnessing and elevating simple flavours to create something truly memorable. Amidst this feast, the staff of San Carlos were the unsung heroes. Their attentive and genuine service added a layer of warmth to the dining experience, making us feel both valued and well looked after. The meal culminated with a Tiramisu that was a dream come true for the connoisseurs among us. It was an impeccable mix of coffee, mascarpone, and cocoa, a dessert that spoke of Italian elegance and indulgence. In summary, San Carlos in Birmingham is more than just a restaurant; it’s a midday retreat into the world of fine Italian dining. From the mesmerising pizza to the sensational chicken in white wine sauce, and the unrivalled Tiramisu, each dish is a testament to the beauty and depth of Italian cuisine. For a memorable lunch experience, San Carlos is a beacon of culinary excellence."

Ping Pong

Ping Pong

➤ Unit 6870 London Designer Outlet, Park Boulevard, Wembley, United Kingdom

Pizza • Asian • Coffee • Chinese


"So I did Ping Pong twice in a week. Once with a friend because it was local (St Paul's) and second, because I was at Wembley for a concert and it was the one with the smallest queue. Ping Pong has never really been a draw for me in the past, its never been a case of I MUST GO THERE. I have passed it several times when in Westfield Stratford and settled on Bumpkin, Busaba Eathai, even TGI Friday's. I am starting to come around to dim sum. With recent visits to Hakkasan, Bintang and Mama Lan, these tasty Chinese style bite sized pockets of goodness are growing on me. Ping Pong spaces are always quite big. I love the dark wood and rich chocolately interior. I live for the island seating, watching the Chefs do their thing (not at all locations). For now, I will focus on Wembley, simply because I was impressed with the seamless service regardless of the fact that it was mad busy with concert goers everywhere. We queued for 45 minutes which is to be expected with 65,000 people in the area. This was made up of actually standing in the queue and then having a drink at the bar. The system they have is good, they take your mobile and call you when your table is ready. This is the only way for them to successfully navigate through the traffic of bar customers and queuing hungry people. At the bar, my only negative so far was that the wine was not chilled so we needed ice. Diluted wine is not a good thing. Once we were sat, our waitress was unaffected by the demanding clientele in her section, was chirpy and attentive. The sequence of service was flawless. Drinks arrived promptly, food arrived as it was ready. The food was good. All the staff floated around the room, appearing to be in control. If there was tension, I could not see it. This site is obviously built for volume on days like this and they have the right team to facilitate it. In terms of food, I will amalgamate both dining experiences as they were on par. We went all out ordering duck spring rolls, prawn on toast with mango salsa and soft shell crab. There was also prawn and chive dumplings, I had black prawn dumpling. Honeyed chicken and mushroom rice pot and vegetable sticky rice completed the banquet. I think that Ping Pong lends itself well to sharing. There is so much goodness, it would be rude not to share. I will continue my dim sum journey and if Ping Pong happens to be in the vicinity, it will certainly be considered for another visit."