As a fairly new establishment, the impact that Villa Capri has already made in Leamington is quite remarkable. Booking a table has quickly become a necessity as it fills up fast, not just for dining, but for cocktails and the Aperitivo selection in the lounge too.
Getting your table reserved early is certainly worth it and you can do this easily on our website. Ahead of your visit, let us take you through an evening at Villa Capri…
Cocktails And Aperitivo
Starting off the evening with a drink in the cocktail lounge feels like a must. We opted for The French 75 – champagne, gin and lemon juice, and a Classic Aperol Spritz – prosecco, aperol and soda. The drinks are well mixed and delicious, whilst pausing for a cocktail gives you the chance to appreciate the décor and settle in for the evening.
Whilst we were not initially planning to order anything from the Aperitivo menu, the Tagliere Di Salumi – a selection of salumi and formaggi, was too much for us to resist. The varied and delectable options left us wanting more, and very excited to browse the full restaurant menu.
Starters
The wide variety of starters available provides an option for every taste. With good seafood often difficult to find in the Midlands, we knew, based on previous reviews, that we would be ordering at least one option from the Antipasto Con Profumo Di Mare selection.
After much toing and froing we decided on the Sauté Di Cozze – Mussels cooked in a rich tomato sauce, served with crostini, and the classic, Bruschetta Italia – Toasted bread with tomato, garlic, basil and parmesan cheese.
The mussels were delicious, and we were surprised at the generosity of the portion size. The tomato sauce was clearly fresh, and you could tell the quality of the produce used. The sauce was not too rich, which allowed the freshness of the tomatoes to cut through.
The Bruschetta Italia was also excellent – again, you could taste the high standard of the ingredients. Finding good, flavoursome tomatoes can sometimes be difficult, especially around this time of year, however Villa Capri have done so.
This is not an average Italian chain restaurant bruschetta!
It was a classic starter, executed perfectly.
Mains
With the quality and portion size of the Sauté Di Cozze, we were pleased to have ordered one seafood main, the Linguine All’astice – Linguine with chunks of fresh lobster served in a rich white wine, tomato, parsley and garlic sauce. We were also excited to try the Filetto Alla Brace (8oz) – Grilled fillet steak served with gorgonzola and mushroom sauce or peppercorn sauce. We opted for the gorgonzola and mushroom sauce.
After such incredible starters we agreed to split our main courses – we both had food envy!
The Linguine All’astice is exceptional. We felt that this main was reasonably priced, but upon its arrival, and seeing the sheer amount of lobster that it contained, we agreed that it was nothing short of a bargain! The sauce carried incredible flavour, but complemented rather than overwhelmed the lobster. We had high hopes following the starter, and were certainly not disappointed.
Ordering a rare steak can be hit and miss. Frequently, it is served closer to medium rare, which can be disappointing, perhaps due to the vast majority of UK consumers preferring their steak cooked to at least medium. This is not the case at Villa Capri. When ordering rare, it comes rare.
The choice between sauces was a hard one to make, but it paid off. The gorgonzola is creamy and earthy, which marries perfectly with the mushrooms, however, the cheese is aged enough for the sharp flavour to penetrate. Villa Capri have found the perfect accoutrement, enhancing rather than masking the taste of the steak.
Sides
The starters and mains certainly do not necessitate the adding of sides, however, we could not resist! Alongside this course we ordered the Patate Al Forno – Sauté potatoes with garlic, butter and onions, and the Zucchine Fritte – fried courgette sticks.
As with the Bruschetta Italia, we knew that we would like the Patate Al Forno, however we were again delighted by the quality. In a way, these classic, perhaps more simple dishes, really show off what Villa Capri can do. Taking a staple and turning it into a feature of note is an impressive thing to do. It is a testament to the work they put into sourcing the best produce, and training their chefs.
We were somewhat sceptical about the Zucchine Fritte. Courgette only works when cooked well, otherwise the texture can easily be off-putting. We were surprised by how much we enjoyed these (perhaps even more so than the Patate Al Forno!). To us, a chef that can cook a courgette that rivals sauté potatoes is close to a miracle worker!
Wine
Whilst becoming well known for their cocktails, Villa Capri’s wine list is not something to be ignored.
The crisp and dry Pinot Grigio ‘Della Ginestra’ paired perfectly with both starters, in particular it brought out the flavour of the mussels. Alongside the linguine, we opted for the Chardonnay Campo Fiorito, which was a perfect match for the lobster. We were not sure which red to enjoy with the steak, but landed on the Chianti Riserva ‘La Scoperta’. All were delicious, served at their ideal temperature, and reasonably priced.
Desserts
When it came to considering dessert, we decided that unfortunately we were just too full! In lieu, we opted for two Espresso Martinis – coffee, vodka and kahlua. It was a wonderful end to an incredible meal, however, next time we will certainly be rounding the meal off with something sweet!
Final Thoughts
Everything that we enjoyed at Villa Capri we would recommend. We would only give you one piece of advice – invite some friends! That way, not only can you introduce them to one of the best restaurants in Leamington, you can also have a taste of what they have ordered!
Try Villa Capri For Yourself…
Learn more about the restaurant, book in or explore the menu on the Villa Capri website. Call 01926330001 to make your reservation.
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