Passione

I took my mother here recently and was really disappointed with the food bearing in mind the price. Starters were okay but then they were just salads but the monk fish I had was tasteless and rubbery and didn't reflect the £25 price tag. Mums pasta main was at a streach okay. Service was fab and attentive and the atmosphere pleasant. I haven't been to Passionne for a long time and in my opinion the food has gone down hill. I won't be going back in a hurry.
Comment on this reader review

Debbie
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Monday, March 17, 2008

I was surprised to read all the negative reviews of Passione.

I went a month or two ago and loved it. The food was delicious, the service perfect - the waiting staff were warm and attentive without hovering, and clearly knew what they were talking about. They must have thought I was a little odd because I sat there grinning, I was enjoying myself so much!

The cooking was well executed and clearly good ingredients were used; amazingly fresh funghi, pesce perfectly cooked, licorice panacotta lovely. Often I go to restaurants and feel that I could have cooked the same dish at least as well myself, but not this time.

Passione isn't cheap exactly but I really don't think you can compare it to a pizza pasta joint like boil-in-the-bag outfit Caffe Uno, as one of the reviewers here has. I spent quite a lot but I didn't have to - I could have chosen less expensive dishes and I'm sure they'd have been equally delicious.

I'm looking forward to going back next time I'm in town.
Comment on this reader review

Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Monday, February 04, 2008

we tried this restaurant because of Gennaro. What a ripoff! Lousy food and very expensive. Trout starter was very basic. A few lumps of Trout on Rocket salad - big deal. 'Gamberoni' was tasteless and without spices and sent back. The Lamb with cheese was worse and a mush. Gennaro get in your kitchen and kick ass!. My emails to them gone un-answered.
Comment on this reader review

NORMAN BALBES
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, January 16, 2008

We visited this delightful restaurant on Saturday last and it was lovely.

The staff were very attentative but not fussy.

The food was superb in quality & taste, and the choice of wines excellent and well priced.

Don't go if you are looking for a bog standard Italian restaurant because this one is far from it and a bit special.
Comment on this reader review

Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Monday, January 14, 2008

I have very much enjoyed Gennaro's appearances on the television, and with the recipes from his Passione cook book I have tried at home, and so was looking forward to visiting his restaurant with some anticipation.

I am sorry to say that it was a real dissapointment. Following a holiday earlier this year in Sicily I was anticipating good simple Italian cooking, full of flavour and displaying the quality of the ingredients. What was experienced was bland and un-distinguished from the Italian fair served by restaurants all over the UK - OK but nothing special - for the prices charged not really OK.

It is not really worth dealing with the courses individually, they were all marked by being undistinguished. On the plus side the services was prompt and attentive and the restaurant itself comfortable and relaxed. The wine list was good.

For the money I would have expected better and have found it in restaurants such as San Carlos in Birmingham and elsewhere.
Comment on this reader review

Foodie
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 1
Monday, August 27, 2007

We visited Passione mid week for an early dinner (7.30) It was a little empty when we arrived but soon filled up. The restaurant was nice with good basic decor. The cherry tomatoes on their vines were moorish and we managed to polish them off. We felt the menu was a little limited with not a great choice offered. The bread was superb and fresh but I was surprised we had to ask for oil and balsamic. (not offered)

The food was very tasty and nicely presented, but not as good or memorable as many other London eateries. The service was good but a little fast for my liking. Our whole experience was over in well under an hour. You hardly had time to finish chewing before the next course arrived. The desserts were excellent with the Passione Ice cream being my favorite. A nice place to eat but not as nice as the River Cafe.

Gary
Comment on this reader review

Gary
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 5
Friday, July 13, 2007

Despite the comments of many other reviewers I had an excellent meal last night. Whilst I agree the prices are a bit steep the dishes we had were excellent and I had no problem with the end bill. We were fairly early but had not booked so were taken ( rather ominously at first ) around the side of the main entrance and up to the 1st floor dining room which was tastefully decked out with great olives on the tables and vine-cherry tomatoes waiting for us. We were the first there but the seven so tables quickly filled up. We shared a started of ravioli with pork, balsamic vinegar, butter and sage. A nice touch was that they actually served it as two plates rather than making us share off one plate. Very good bread too.

For mains I had rabbit with olives and pistacio's and sauted potatoes. The rabbit tasted great and was particularly large and tender. My girlfriend had fish of the day which was Lemon sole with various herbs which was i am told very good although maybe a bit too much mint for her liking ( although she is pregnant! ).

For desserts we shared a lemoncello and wild strawberry ice cream. The portion was huge, and pretty alcoholic. Had difficultly finishing it which is rare. An excellent ice cream.

The waitress was very attentive and pleasant throughout and did not begrudge paying service - 12.5% at all.

Overall an excellent meal but if you are looking for a cheap eat this is not the place to come!
Comment on this reader review

Adrian
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Friday, July 06, 2007

Went to passione with reasonably high expectations. The restaurant itself is small white (newlyish decorated). The tables are well layed out with nice cloths. The clairs though are cheap and stiff. There was no ambience inside the restaurant. It could really benfit from some soft music.

For starters I had the artichoke and mint salad with rocket and mozerella. Its was very very tasty. simple but nice. My friend had the lentil soup which was very pleasent even if simple. (simple is ok). Only problem it was a napalm hot. Not a big deal. Starters were good I thought.

Main courses I had the rabbit stew with sauted potatoes. The sauted potatoes were again napalm hot. The dish was over salted and quite rich and the flavours were not particulary good to be honest. My partner had a sea food pasta dish which she said was dry and average.

Shared a tiramisu for desert which was very average.

there isnt much more to say about the food other than that

I will have prolly forgotten about the place by tommorrow and to be honest I would have no reason to go back. It isnt a bad restaurant but for the price (as pretty much everyone is commenting) the restaurant is far to average in everything. Not sure how this won best italian restaurant of 2005. You would prolly have equally as good food if you went to Cafe Uno or some other similiar francise but pay half the price.

I dont begrudge restaurants making a tidy profit and I dont mind paying for good food and service, its just this place didnt really merrit such expensive.
Comment on this reader review

DELBOY
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 3
Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Went with great company - which helped.

Food was okay, not fantastic.

My starter of smoked eel was very nice, but the monkfish was messy and way too much.

Thought all the courses came out very (too?) quick.

Staff wasn't great. They assumed the men would taste the wines when actually our hostess picked and ordered.

Service was unattentive and when we asked for 5 extra minutes for picking desert, as we were in full conversation, we got an agitated look and weren't asked again for 25 minutes....

They also forgot to give us a bag we had brought in which meant halfway home we remembered and had to go back to pick it up.

Way too expensive for what it offers.
Comment on this reader review

LM
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3
Thursday, December 07, 2006

Bland yet pretentious; the biscotti with coffee were the highlight for me, and the only authentic bit. I presume the idea is to do a refined 'spin' on traditional Italian cuisine to justify their absurd prices (and to tempt the jaded palate?) but I didn't finish anything and three days later have difficulty recalling what I had; ok - pasta with shredded duck (a mistake; expect not to see this on future menus!) and some wrapped up white meat tasting of nothing very much to which ginger contributed a jarring note amid the general insipidness. On my companion's serviceable boiled fish and saute potatoes there is even less to say (what can you say about boiled fish and potatoes?) and the panna cotta was rubbery; though drizzled with a perfectly ok berry coulis, blackberry and apple pie would have been preferable! The price? Oy veh!
Comment on this reader review

Simon Barrett
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Monday, September 18, 2006