Lucia Wine Bar and Grill, Swinegate Court, York (From York Press)

Lucia Wine Bar and Grill, Swinegate Court, York

10:24am Saturday 23rd May 2009

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THE signs were not good. In fact, this was quite possibly the last place in York we wanted to be. A restaurant in Swinegate Court? Opposite one called Piglets? During a swine flu epidemic? Why, it was a recipe for disaster!

So my friends and I joked anyway, as we headed to Lucia, the new Italian wine bar and grill in York’s fashionable Quarter district.

As if opening a new eatery during a recession were not daunting enough, being tarred with such an ominous address was surely the last thing a budding restaurateur needed?

As it happened though, the only thing infectious about this place was the cracking hospitality. It was that, rather than anything else, that took our breath away.

Ian, Gill and I had all passed this place since it opened earlier in the year, but hadn’t ventured inside. As fans of Italian food and wine, we felt a visit was overdue.

Before delving into the minutiae of our meal, I’ll give you the quick version: the service was excellent, the food superb, the value decent and – aside from a baffling choice of music that ranged from bagpipes to Samba drums – the ambience authentic.

Regular readers have no doubt come to expect more of this column though, so here goes.

Lucia brands itself quite clearly as a wine bar and grill, rather than as a restaurant or café. That approach should be borne in mind when viewing the menu, which is pretty atypical for a British Italian.

There are no pizzas, and only a handful or pasta and risotto dishes. Instead the menu leans towards the grilled options, with an impressive array of char-grilled skewer dishes; three steak options; and “Lucia’s burger” among the selections.

There is also a mouthwatering “petit Lucia’s” range, featuring 22 dishes (£3.50 each) that can be served as small lunch offerings, starters, or main meals.

Ian, Gill and I got started with a selection of bread, accompanied by olive oil and balsamic dip (£1.95) before taking our pick from that list of 22.

Gill took the chicken liver paté with red onion chutney; Ian chose the Parma ham and melon, with chilli and honey dressing; and I went for the fried mozzarella risotto balls with leaf salad.

At the same time, we plumped for a litre carafe of the house red wine (£9.95), while Gill also went for Lucia’s special cocktail (Amaretto, Italian liqueur, cranberry juice and red wine – £3 before 7pm).

Gill said the cocktail was delicious and she is still raving now about the paté, which she unequivocally declared the best she’d ever had. It was smooth, light and full of flavour and the onion chutney was a perfect accompaniment, she said.

Ian was equally enthused by his melon and ham, and the dressing gave a fresh kick to an otherwise pretty conventional dish.

My risotto balls, which came in breadcrumbs and with a light tomato sauce, were also a success although they could have done with a touch more mozzarella in the centre.

For the main course, Gill and I went for the grilled options. I chose the lemon chicken skewered with cherry tomatoes and peppers (£8.95), while Gill took the Yorkshire rump steak (medium, 10oz, £13.95). The steaks came with a choice of side-order and sauce – Gill went for new potatoes and peppercorn.

Ian, meanwhile, went for that Italian classic – penne arabbiatta (£5.95). Arabbiatta is Italian for ‘angry’, reflecting the strong chilli flavour this dish usually contains, but when it arrived it lacked the usual red verve.

We speculated that it looked a bit mild, but a few moments later that delusion was well and truly shattered. What the sauce lacked in colour it made up for in potency. Ian was delighted.

I too was very happy, although my dish could scarcely have looked less Italian. The mound of chips, salad an onion rings were reminiscent more of an English pub than an Italian trattoria, but the succulent, zingy chicken and the sweet cherry tomatoes were unmistakeably continental.

I continued the lemon theme into dessert, opting for lemon tart (£3.50), which came with a drizzle of strawberry sauce. Ian took an espresso (£1.80) and Gill a Scottish coffee (£3.95).

The total bill came to £63.50. Having pigged out big time, we went away happy as hogs, and vowed to return. We’ve caught the bug.

• Lucia Wine Bar and Grill, 13 Swinegate Court, York.

Tel: 01904 731599 • Gavin visited Lucia on Wednesday, May 20, 2009.

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