Ponte Vecchio - Bath Food Review
Posted on: 2017-02-27
Our rating:
Italian fine dining with a stunning view
Ponte Vecchio is an award-winning authentic Italian restaurant that overlooks Pulteney weir. Its amazing location and glamorous rooftop terrace gives you an idea of the high standards you should expect here, especially when it comes to the food. Read on for our review:
In the summer, the rooftop terrace is a hit with locals and tourists because who wouldn’t want a beautiful view of the river while they eat? It was raining when we arrived at the restaurant last night, so no such luck with getting onto the terrace, but what was inside was no disappointment. The wooden beams above us were covered in fairy lights, the wine glasses and serviettes laid out with precision and lights were dimmed; the atmosphere was amazing.
There’s a range of classic Italian dishes on the menu, but instead of opting for the typical pizza or pasta we thought we’d try something a little different. We ordered two starters to share, the Panzerottini Fritti which are dough parcels stuffed with tomato and Mozzarella (£6.95) and Crema di Bufala - creamed buffalo Mozzarella coated with baked onion in a balsamic dressing, served with chips of bread and chefs special cherry tomato (£9.50). Neither of these dishes turned out to be what I expected, but in a good way. The creamed Mozzarella dish was very light and the crispy thin slices of bread were a great tool for scooping up the slightly tangy pool of cheese. Baked onion and tomato added some more depth of taste to a dish that otherwise would have been quite bland, so it was a fabulous starter all round. The dough parcels were heavy in comparison and there were four in one portion, so it’s plenty to feed two to four people! Each parcel was like a mini calzone, the dough was soft and squidgy with cheese melted inside. Even one is filling, so try not to devour all of them if you want to have room for another two courses.
For my main course I ordered La Libidine Del Pollo, which is a chicken breast seasoned in butter and garlic then wrapped in pancetta and served on a bed of cheese fondue, with an onion frittata and celeriac & chilli marmalade (£18.75). The presentation of the dish was absolutely stunning. The chicken was tender and, as always, paired well with the saltiness of the pancetta, plus it was extra moreish thanks to the cheese fondue. You can’t have an Italian meal without cheese right? The onion frittata was flavoursome and fluffy, and the sweet marmalade was a mouth-watering accompaniment to the meat. I couldn’t fault the dish and without a doubt would order it again.
My dining partner ordered the potato dumplings known as gnocchi in Italy, with pear, Gorgonzola and walnut (£14.50). We both agreed it was a beautiful plate of food, as the creaminess of the Gorgonzola with the sweet pear and the sprinkling of walnuts, made for a wonderful taste sensation. You could tell by the shapes of the gnocchi that they were homemade, as advertised, which made this dish all the more special. Both of our dishes were well worth the price tag, not just for the taste but the large portion sizes too.
On the dessert menu there was of course the classic Tiramisu, but they offered some more unique puds like lavender panna cotta and one called the Cassata al Forno. The Cassata al Forno sounded interesting as it’s described as a traditional Sicilian dessert made with ricotta and chocolate drops in a pastry sandwich (£7.25), so we ordered that and the Tiramisu. After such amazing main courses we had high expectations for the dessert, and once again we were left completely in awe of what we were served. The Tiramisu was light, creamy, fresh and chocolatey. Not to mention a huge portion too! Our other intriguing dessert was dense and like a cake, but the creamy ricotta was delicious with the sweet thick flaky pastry. We’re glad we tried it, even though it sounded unusual, because it was the perfect end to the meal.
The Italian waiters were very friendly and always made sure our glasses of water were filled, so from the service to the food it all made for a beautiful evening and one I’m sure we won’t forget very soon.
Ratings:
Atmosphere 5/5
Service 5/5
Food 5/5
Value 5/5
Address: Spring Gardens Rd, Bath BA2 6PW. Check out Ponte Vecchio's website here and find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Article by:
Born in Bath, Safia has lived on the outskirts of the city her whole life. After studying journalism in Bristol she now spends a lot of her time searching for new things to see in Bath and soaking up the beautiful culture. You're most likely to find her sipping a soya latte in a lovely little independent cafe! Call Safia on 07468 516375 or email editor@365Bath.com.
