You'd think that England manager Gareth Southgate would have had enough of Italians.
The heartache of the Euro 2020 final loss to Italy still looms large in the memory for many England fans, as replays of the penalty shootout defeat at Wembley still play on repeat in our minds.
But it seems as though the Three Lions boss still has a soft spot for an Italian.
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He is a big fan of Headingley restaurant Salvo’s and was pictured there alongside former England rugby union head coach Stuart Lancaster in 2019.
Considering Southgate likes the food, I donned my waistcoat and paid a visit to see what all the fuss is about.
The first thing I noticed as soon as I walked through the door was the immense friendliness of the staff. From minute one, they were smiley and helpful and I struggle to think of anywhere else in Leeds with better customer service.
Salvo’s association with Leeds stretches back almost 50 years, when founder Salvatore Dammone moved to Leeds to serve up southern Italian dishes in the heart of Yorkshire. The second and third generations of the family now run the restaurant and the warm embrace stretches to each and every customer who walks through the doors.
Having served over a million customers over the years, the team at Salvo’s know a thing or two about food aswell.
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The menu has all the favourites - carbonara and Margherita pizza - but some more unusual flavour combinations too.
My wife and I picked one of the unique starters from the specials menu and ordered the prawn and pistachio risotto bombs.
Presented beautifully on a nest of aioli, the arancini balls were spectacular.
A crunchy, fine layer of breadcrumbs on the outside opened up to reveal an enticing green centre packed full of flavour. I was initially hit by the subtle nuttiness from the ground pistachios, but then the warm, smoky taste of the prawns came through after a few seconds.
As good as the arancini balls were, the Sicilian green olives were even better. Each and every one oozed with a rich, deep, buttery flavour that lasted a long time after I’d chewed the fleshy green fruit away from the stone.
After two sublime starters, it was time for the main dishes. I decided on the lamb and thyme ravioli, while my wife ordered the parmigiana.
Both dishes were looked stunning - and they tasted just as good.
The ravioli were packed full of tender lamb and were topped with sweet, crispy onions and shavings of pecorino cheese. As if that wasn’t enough, the dish was served in a shallow pool of lamb emulsion, which added a luxurious flavour.
The parmigiana was a perfect example of winter comfort food cooked to perfection.
Packed full of juicy tomatoes and thinly sliced aubergine in a thin batter, the fresh flavours combined with the melted mozzarella and provided the ideal accompaniment for a cold February evening.
What really topped it all off though, quite literally, was the slightly charred parmesan enveloping the entire dish, which gave it a wonderful crunchy outer shell.
The incredibly friendly atmosphere at Salvo’s is matched by the outstanding food.
The restaurant has won countless awards and was voted as the UK's best neighbourhood Italian by Gordon Ramsay on Channel 4’s ‘The F Word’, but the love and care that goes into every single dish at this family-run restaurant is a tradition that is still going strong after 50 years.
Just don’t mention the football…
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The bill
- San Pellegrino £2.45
- Appletiser £2.75
- Olives and Sardinian crispbread £4
- Prawn and pistachio arancini £8.50
- Parmagiana £14
- Lamb and thyme ravioli £13
- Optional service charge £4.47
- TOTAL: £49.17
Salvo's 115 Otley Rd, Headingley, Leeds LS6 3PX
- Open 12pm - 2pm and 5pm - 9pm on weekdays
- 12pm - 10pm on Saturdays
- 12pm - 9pm on Sundays
Book online or call 0113 275 5017
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