Lupa Restaurant, Southampton (From Daily Echo)

Lupa Restaurant, Southampton

2:58pm Wednesday 27th January 2010 in Restaurant Reviews

ITALIAN restaurants are ten a penny but if you are looking for an independent alternative to the big restaurant chains – then look no more.

Lupa sits on the High Street in Southampton and offers a genuine warm welcome.

The capable staff quickly offer menus which are familiar yet offer more choice than your usual pizza and pasta joint. Not only can you order from a tapas style menu, with cocktails and a wide choice of wines, you can still plump for the more traditional Italian offerings.

With so much choice it was a difficult task to choose – so why not have it all with the Antipasto Primi – a platter overflowing with king prawns, bruschetta, scallops, calamari, and the most amazing risotto balls that were so deliciously cheesy that more had to be ordered on the side.

If that wasn’t enough, the menu offered up a large plate of beef Carpaccio dressed with parmesan shavings enjoyed with a delicious bottle of Barolo – recommended.

After the excess of the starters it was a tough choice for the main course – there are all the usual favourites, salads, pizzas and pasta but still there was more to choose from… slow cooked lamb, rib eye steak, goats cheese stuffed chicken breast , fresh fish!

The pizzas looked great as they came from the open kitchen – but already feeling full pasta seemed the best option. Choosing the ever popular and spicy Penne Arrabbiatta, with the addition of ‘Italian sausage’ was tasty but certainly could have had a bit more of a kick to it.

The Penne Primavera, chicken and mushrooms in a tomato sauce, faired better. So much so I finished that off as well.

Finally dessert, hot chocolate brownies with vanilla ice cream were calling, but with no room left coffee was ordered with an extra sweet fiery treat of a Limoncello.

Lupa boasts a wider choice than the usual high street Italian and is a great venue for a quick lunch, pre cinema or theatre meal. A great alternative and one you must try.

Lupa
123-124 High Street
Southampton, SO14 2AA
023 8033 1849

Angela Coates