Back in late October, we got the chance to trial Zizzi's 2018 Autumn menu, and the Italian restaurant chain invited us back to the High Street last week (November 22) to check out some of their Festive specials which have now been made available.
First up was the brand new Pumpkin Mac 'N' Cheese Baubles. You get four of the deep-fried mac 'n' cheese crochettes, which are packed full of delicious pasta and finished off with pumpkin and sage herbs. A pot of smoked chilli jelly is also served up with the starter, and really compliments the burst of flavour you get with each bite. I could honestly eat 20 of these and still go back for more. They're without a doubt one of the nicest starters I've had from any Italian, period.
There are three festive special mains to choose from, including the Melanzana Tagliatelle and Zizzi's Pork Belly Arrosto (which both look incredible), but I opted to go down the classic route and order a pizza.
This year, it's the Pulled Beef & Truffle Rustica that's being showcased, and when it was brought out by the kitchen I knew I had quite the challenge ahead of me! It's a huge pizza, covered with truffle and mushroom pesto, fresh bufala mozzarella, pulled beef brisket, smoked tomatoes, mushrooms, roasted garlic, crispy sage, purple bazil, and drizzled with truffle oil on a white base of Fior di Latte and smoked mozzarella.
The chefs at work in the Trafford Centre branch did a fantastic job of ensuring every inch of the Rustica was a flavoursome one. Often with food of this type, you'll have crispy edges with little to no topping, but that wasn't a problem here. Whilst this isn't the sort of treat I'd usually opt for when browsing a menu, it's certainly opened my eyes to the fact that there's more than simple tomato-based pizzas out there!
Though I was stuffed to the brim after tackling my main, there was no way I was leaving Zizzi without trying their festive special dessert: the Brownettone. A hybrid of a warm, oozy chocolate brownie and a custard-soaked Italian panettone with chocolate chips and candied orange peel; this is something every dessert connoisseur should put on their to-try list.
White chocolate curls and an inviting mini chocolate pine cone complete the piece, whilst you're also given a pot of warm white chocolate sauce to drizzle over the pudding as you desire. This is a real treat for the senses, and something I honestly can't wait to try all over again.
If Zizzi were hoping to make flavours pop as part of their festive specials, then they've done a fantastic job all over again. Those of you who love food can check out the menu now on Zizzi's website, and book a table to try out the dishes yourself!