Piccolino La Griglia at Virginia Water, Surrey Review
Piccolino La Griglia
Virginia Water, Surrey
www.individualrestaurants.com/piccolino
Reviewed by Amanda Hayes
The first thing that struck me as we pulled up outside Piccolino La Griglia in Surrey was how clean and modern it looked. It really is inviting with its black and white frontage. It has its own car park, so we managed to park without any fuss and went in.
The reception when we walked in was immediately welcoming and so we introduced ourselves to Pepe, the manager, and were soon seated in the brand new dining area. The restaurant has only been open for 12 days after an extensive refurbishment and Pepe explained to us a little about the work that had been done. The existing restaurant has been extensively updated but the jewel in the crown is the brand new indoor/outdoor dining terrace. It’s very spacious, fully glazed and has a retractable roof for the unpredictable British weather. We found out halfway through the meal how this worked when it started raining! They really have thought of everything with big comfy sofas, large heaters and blankets for the cooler evenings.
The waiters were all dressed in smart jeans and shirts and looked as cool as the décor. We were soon given the food and wine menus and brought bread and oils whilst we read the menu which was so extensive we ended up needing more bread. There really is a fabulous choice of Italian dishes from a modern take on pizza’s & pasta to fish and meat. After a lengthy debate I decided on Calamari, followed by duck breast in honey and Marsala wine and my husband grilled asparagus with a quails egg followed by Sea Bass from the grill. Accompaniments are to be ordered as extras so we chose garlic roast potatoes, Mediterranean roasted vegetable and broccoli spears.
Meanwhile our waiter arrived to apologise that they did not have our choice of wine but he quickly recommended another and brought it to the table together with a bottle of still water.
After a short wait our starters arrived, my plate was huge but the batter was so light and airy I soon managed to clear it. My husband’s egg was cooked perfectly, just runny in the middle. Our main courses were just as tasty, both the duck and sea bass were very generous portions and had lovely crispy skin. The duck was not oversweet and the sauce rich but not too much so. All the vegetables were cooked to perfection.
The restaurant was really busy which is always a good sign and the atmosphere fabulous. The place had a real buzz about it, you almost had to lean forward to hear what each other was saying. Apart from diners there were also several people seated at the bar area just enjoying a drink and a chat.
We were so full we couldn’t really fit in a dessert so we opted for one salted caramel ice cream and two spoons. It was really yummy and cleansed the palate nicely. I finished off with a pot of Earl Grey tea and we sat and relaxed in the comfy sofas.
On the way out we had a look around and saw all the fantastic fresh produce waiting for the grill, huge T bone steaks, lobsters and every kind of fish and meat. It almost made us hungry again.
We would highly recommend Piccolino although it is maybe a little expensive for every day eating, starters are between £5.00-£8.00, mains are around £15.00, accompaniments around £3.50 and the cheapest dessert is the ice cream at £5.00, they do a lunch menu which looked great value. The quick lunch menu is priced at £10.00 for one course, £15.00 for two and had a choice of a pizza, pasta, meat or fish dish.
The food was excellent, so was the atmosphere, and there is plenty of free parking outside. It is just off the main A30 at Virginia Water so easy to find. If you are in the vicinity Piccolino is definitely worth a visit and we hope to be returning soon.
Rating: 5/5 
For more information, to view menus or to book a table visit:
www.individualrestaurants.com/piccolino/virginia-water
Piccolino La Griglia, London Road, Virginia Water, Surrey, GU25 4QE | 01344 844 756
