Santinis and sun – perfect
ON one of the rare days of sunshine we had last month I decided to take my little boy, Tate, to the beach at Seaburn.
It was such a nice day my friend and colleague Katy decided to join me, bringing her niece Amy to help entertain Tate.
After a few hours on the beach i0 w. s ) e- ni0e: y 0ime for . 7i0 s0o7 and as it was only 5pm, we decided to indulge in Santinis’s happy hour, which offers purse- pleasing prices and kids eat free with paying adults – result!
Although the outside of this Italian eatery is a bit bland and uninviting, the food is lipsmackingly good and the interior is of a much higher standard.
We were given a cosy table in the corner of this quaint restaurant that is decked out with rustic accessories which give it a traditional Italian feel.
From vines on the walls to wrought iron candle stick holders and chandeliers, it really is a piece of Tuscany on the Sunderland coastline.
We weren’t the only group trying to entertain the kids which was nice as the atmosphere was relaxed and we didn’t have to worry about upsetting diners without children.
To start I opted for the scallops, (£ 7.95), from the specials board, they came served in ornate scallop shell which Katy had her eye on, if only she had a bigger bag!
They were delicious and came in a lovely creamy sauce that really complemented the perfectly- cooked scallops.
Katy is on a health kick so she was keen to avoid any unnecessary carbs and fats and opted for a mouthwatering tomato and mozzarella salad, (£ 3.45). Drizzled with pesto, this dish was fresh and f6:: of fl. vo6r.
As the children’s main meals were free we treated them to a starter.
Tate had his usual calamari, which was (£ 3.45). Even though he’s only two, he loves this deep fried squid dish and he quickly tucked in, smothering each mouthful with garlic dip.
Amy chose potato skins, (£ 3.45). They came with garlic dip and the portion was enormous – so much so that she barely made a dent in her main meal of tomato and mozzarella pizza which, unfortunately, came with more chips.
4.0e .: so h.) ) if- c6: 0y e. 0in3 his way through his huge portion of spaghetti bolognese and I think most of it ended up round his mouth rather than in it.
I managed to try some though and it was super tasty – a traditional dish done well.
Simply grilled salmon served with rice, (£ 7.95), was Katy’s choice of main – for those of you counting the calories it’s perfect, but for foodies like me it didn’t cut the mustard.
My ) ish w. s ) e- ni0e: y 0he more substantial option: ribeye, (£ 10.95), cooked medium rare, with a Diane sauce.
It was a big steak, although it was a little fatty. Despite this it was delicious and I couldn’t help mop up the sauce with my bowl of chunky chips.
No restaurant outing is complete for Tate without a bowl of ice cream and I decided to join him and try out the homemade tiramisu, £ 3.95.
Although I had to loosen my belt it was worth it, it’s one of my favourite desserts and the Santini’s version didn’t disappoint.
Including several glasses of house wine, our meal for four came to £ 66.40.
Cara Houchen