Food Review: Colosseo Italian Ristorante

So as I carry on my journey to promote and showcase local places to eat, my next stop brought me to Colosseo Italian Ristorante. Tucked away on Ravendale Street North, the restaurant has long been a cherished gem in Scunthorpe’s dining scene.

Step inside and you’ll be greeted by a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. The menu is a mixed celebration of classic Italian and Turkish dishes. There’s plenty to choose from and a specials board situated behind the counter.

We tried all 3 mocktails (but again there are plenty of alcoholic options available) Pina No Colada, Strawberry Mojito and Bahama Mamma. I’ll go as far to say as these were the best non alcoholic “mocktails” I’ve tasted. So good we had to order more. So I’d imagine the alcoholic versions are just as; or more so, impressive in depth and flavour.

First to the table, to accompany our drinks, we were served two fresh complimentary bruschetta, with fresh chopped tomato and red onion.

Myself and my partner shared a variety of dishes from the specials board, so for starters we went for a generous portion of fresh mussels coated in a lovely thick and creamy onion, garlic, white wine & cream sauce served with lightly toasted bread to soak up the flavour. The second starter was a huge Arancini ball (stuffed rice ball) served with a side salad and a gorgonzola sauce with cream . It was crisp outside with a soft centre and filled with a sort of bolognaise style mince and peas. The tomato garlic bread does initially look like it’s going to over power you with a tomato hit but it wasn’t too strong at all, it was nicely balanced with the sharp garlic oil drizzled throughout and fresh herbs on a crisp base.

Our main course was Sea bass on a bed of seasonal vegetables, the carrots were sweet with slight bite, potatoes buttery and smooth and the broccoli delightfully charred to add extra flavour. It also came with a gravy boat, which contained an onion, garlic, white wine, fish stock, Napolitano sauce, lemon, salt and black pepper accompaniment. The fish was perfectly cooked with plenty of flavour coming from that crisp browned skin. I would have said this was my favourite dish until I tried the sauce that coated the next main meal.

From the main menu, Pollo alla Panna, which was a large Chicken breast cooked with mushrooms, cream, white wine and brandy. To say there were 2 types of alcohol in the sauce there was no bitter alcohol taste to it and I just really can’t explain how amazing this sauce was paired with the soft potatoes and sweet carrots. I couldn’t stop eating them even when I was full.

For dessert it was Baklava, a rich and sweet layered pastry dessert made of paper-thin (filo) pastry and a filling of chopped nuts finished off with a sweet, syrupy soaking and accompanied by a refreshing scoop of vanilla ice cream and fresh fruit garnish. Secondly, we went for a traditional Italian dessert, tiramisu, which was soft and moist with a hint of coffee flavour topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.

Our overall dining experience at Colosseo was calm, relaxing and welcoming, it had laid back vibes. It was a very enjoyable atmosphere and Murat was a great host and the staff were informative of the food being presented. Nothing felt stressful or rushed but service was quick. I like the layout of the restaurant with good use of space and the customer experience in mind, not just packing in as many tables as possible. Even if you don’t fancy a full meal, it would be a great place for a coffee, chat and a dessert.