A pizza the festive action

YOUR SPY VISITS ICE & SLICE, WEST STREET, SWADLINCOTE

THE Burton Mail sent a “secret service” spy to Ice & Slice, in West Street, Swadlincote to check out the eatery. With an array of menus, stunning décor and friendly staff, it is easy to see why the restaurant is a firm favourite with diners in the town.

But how would its food fare when our spy dropped by?

They were seated in the main restaurant area upstairs with well known views of the town from a different perspective.

Initial impressions

On walking into the bar, my guest and I were greeted immediately and seated upstairs by a friendly waiter.

The area was very quiet despite at least a dozen diners already eating and there was a lovely atmosphere, with dim lighting and sophisticated décor.

We were given around five minutes to decide on some drinks, opting for a ginger beer – with lime, no ice – and a Ferrero Rocher martini mocktail. It could also come as a cocktail.

The chocolately and creamy concoction was the perfect winter delight. Served with Baileys – if you have the cocktail option – along with vanilla and hazelnut syrups, cream, and Nutella served with an old favourite Ferrero Rocher on the side. The top of the martini glass it delightfully smeared with a lovely nutty chocolate.

After sitting down with a view out to the town’s West Street, my guest and I were handed a wooden board containing a few pages of starters, mains and desserts.

We were asked if we wanted to take part in the fixed price bottomless lunch menu, but decided to opt for the main menu.

There is not a wide range of food options compared to larger restaurants. However, what is served you can tell is made with love and care.

How does the food measure up?

Hungry from a hard day’s work, I scanned the starters first. We opted for a sharing starter of baked camembert, served in a small bowl of melted goodness, with a side of delicious caramelised red onion and crusty tiger loaf for dipping.

It was simply delicious; its vivacious flavour warmed my palette. The cheese had melted just right and oozed off the bread when dipped. The caramelised onion was to die for.

There was just the right amount of time between courses, which was perfect as I was feeling rather full from the starter.

Main courses were up next and it was a very hard decision, but we got there in the end. The waiters were very attentive, getting our order promptly so we didn’t have to wait too long to eat.

I opted for a wood-fired festive edition pizza, made in the restaurant’s – you guessed it – wood-fired pizza oven. My guest decided on a cannelloni, consisting of Italian pizza filled with beef brisket, chestnut mushrooms, Sardinian pomodoro sauce, oak smoked cheddar and rocket.

I severely underestimated the size of the pizza, which would have easily fed two, and arrived on a large wooden board. The festive edition was just that – festive. It Consisted of Sardinian pomodoro sauce, mozzarella, pulled turkey breast, pancetta, pigs in blankets, Brussel sprouts, brie, cranberry sauce and rocket.

It seemed an odd combination and, while it did actually work well, I probably wouldn’t choose this again. The Brussel sprouts were cooked very well – nice and soft – but let’s just say there is a reason cheese and Brussel sprouts are not often found together. The pigs in blankets were incredible – very well put together.

We could not finish either dish and were able to take both home in a pizza box and plastic box, respectively.

The waiter returned to the table shortly after delivering each course to check if they could help in any way and we were offered more drinks and dessert menus.

Despite not being able to finish our main meals, we could not pass up a dessert opportunity.

I opted for a chocolate orange brownie, consisting of chocolate and caramel sauces and a vanilla gelato, served with crunchy lemony biscuits. While I wasn’t sure of the

biscuits, the brownie and gelato were the right size after a mammoth meal and I finished it all.

My guest opted for a Bailey’s creme brulee served in a lovely pot topped with a real flower.

Would we return to Ice & Slice?

Absolutely. It may feel just a little bit pricey for some, with the pizza costing £17, but this is top-notch food and worth the money.

We could not fault the food, which was rich and delicious and the portions were very generous.

The abundance of ambiance meant we were able to soak up the full experience and really relax while dining and the staff were very attentive throughout our stay.

The service was impeccable to the end as a waitress even opened the doors for our exit.

■■ The visit took place on a quiet Thursday, arriving before 3pm.

■■The Burton Mail makes undercover visits to restaurants, takeaways and cafés with a view to providing a fair, balanced and accurate report on customer service and the food on offer. Our hope is that we can report positively about the places we visit. However, we are duty-bound to report on exactly what we find.