This restaurant review was undertaken on January 15, 2009

Why had I not visited Sapori long before now? That was the question I was left asking myself after visiting this establishment for the first time on January 15, 2009. This absolute gem of a restaurant was taken over by the charming Livio Bove in 2008 and has since gone from strength to strength. 

Décor

Sapori is both warm and welcoming. The rooms still feature the original Georgian coving and wood panelled walls alongside the attractive chandeliers; but despite these supposedly old-fashioned features, this restaurant definitely has a modern feel. The tables are immaculately prepared, with quality linen and napkins that are folded to form a ‘wave’ effect. The high leather backed chairs are inviting, comfortable and in-keeping with the classy tones of brown throughout the rooms. I loved the way the glass tea light holders contained olives. 

Food

Sapori normally have one sitting per evening. It’s a great shame that there are not many restaurants in Milton Keynes that do this. At Sapori, you can sit down, take your time, and know that your table is yours for the evening. Everything is cooked to order and nothing (apart from the desserts) is pre-prepared.

We started with the traditional olive oil and balsamic vinegar with some delightfully fresh bread. We also had a flute of champagne each which proved the perfect way to prepare for the feast ahead. We also ordered a glass each of Pinot Grigio Del Trentino D.O.C. (13.5%), Vigneti Le Meridiane (£4.95). Pale straw yellow, clear cut and delicate on the nose with a scent of acacia flower, minerals and pears. Elegantly structured, smooth, round and long on the palate. We were both impressed with a wine list that had clearly taken some time and effort to compile. Many of the wines could be viewed as expensive, but a quick glance at the list said they were reasonably priced for what they were. This menu is also wood bound – impressive!

My partner and I ordered three starters that we would eventually share; Insalata Caprese Invernale (V), Fresh mozzarella served with plum tomatoes, oven-roasted to bring out their flavour, drizzled with a pesto dressing (£6.50). Wonderfully presented, this was a substantial starter, with large pieces of mozzarella as opposed to slices. Immediately you realised how fresh all the ingredients are but this starter was possibly overshadowed by the Mussels, described by my partner as some of the best she had ever tasted. Again, so incredibly fresh and soft, these mussels were particularly large and really did melt in the mouth.  

Although we were sharing, I laid claim to the Gamberoni. This dish was selected from the specials board (£7.50) and was prepared with a different recipe to the one you can find on the menu. We were served large shelled king prawns, with strips of pepper, a thick tomato sauce and chilli. Perfectly seasoned, this dish had a genuinely pleasant kick to it. The prawns were as white as snow when cut, meaty and moreish. The tomato sauce, clearly made from the freshest of ingredients, was simply sublime.

Occasionally you will eat food that is so good - you will never forget it. This is exactly what happened when I tasted my main course - the butterfly pasta from the specials board (£12.50) with salmon and a white wine sauce. I chose to season this with black pepper and do not recall ever tasting pasta quite so good. Well seasoned with a lovely creamy texture, this dish was full of gorgeous flavours that sent my taste buds wild. Amazing!

A whole sea bass, pan fried with white wine, prawns, courgettes and cherry tomatoes, served with vegetables (£17.50) was the choice of my guest. As wonderful as sea bass is, especially when cooked so well like this was, there is only so much you can do with this dish; for lovers of fish, it would be the perfect meal, but with menu envy very much in evidence, my pasta was winning hands down.

Both my guest and I now had a problem. We were very full. However, we both realised that we were eating fine food of the highest quality and we simply did not want to leave without sampling the desserts. Two dishes arrived – my choice of Chocolate Amaretto with white chocolate flakes arrived in a Martini glass. This was very rich but smooth - a chocolate lover’s paradise, which might explain why I still found the room to eat it. An Amaretto biscuit to accompany this dessert would have been welcomed. We both sampled our second sweet, the Tiramisu, served in a glass. This was not as light as we had expected as the mascarpone was very thick but the flavours still shone through.

Our compliments go to Roberto the Head Chef and his team for producing a truly outstanding meal.

Service

We were served by both Livio and the impeccably presented Alesandro. The latter seemed almost shy at first, but during the course of our meal it was almost as if a friendship was developing and it was abundantly clear that if we were happy, then Alesandro was happy. In true Italian style we never once felt rushed despite taking our time to carefully make our choices and it was refreshing to be waited on by someone who clearly loved the work they were doing. Not once during the meal did we need to ask or wait for anything – our every need was catered for with perfect timing.

Atmosphere

The ambient lighting, Italian music, service and of course the food alongside the wonderful décor all combine to make this an incredibly romantic venue. The tables are reasonably close together creating a cosy and warm environment where you immediately feel relaxed. If you are in the mood for a seriously good treat and truly wish to unwind; then Sapori really must be placed at the top of your list.

(to read an older review of Sapori, please click here).