Pizza in Style since 1965 – Pizza Express Didsbury

So I had the pleasure of being asked to sample the ‘new look’ menu of Pizza Express recently. As a firm favourite of mine on the high-street, I graciously accepted! And I chose the West Didsbury branch, as it’s local to me and I’d yet to visit since moving into Chorlton.

It was a Sunday evening and from outside, the restaurant looked pretty quiet, so we didn’t expect the lively atmosphere we were greeted with when we walked in. It was fantastic…couples, families, children…and me and mother!

We were shown to our table in the middle of the restaurant (perfect for a good nose at what everyone else was eating!) and offered our menus by the smiley and welcoming staff.

Naturally, in the spirit of all things Italian…we opted for Prosecco to start 🙂

It’s thirsty work looking through the impressive new menu!

After we’d made our choices, mum and I got to talking about our previous experiences of Pizza Express. And as we talked we realised that over the years, we’d been regular visitors to the well-know chain restaurant and actually, it had been a part of a few very important experiences in our lives.

I looked back to being a 18-year old, when me and my girlfriends would head out to the West-end, now able to legitimately drink alcohol, in search of somewhere for dinner! Somewhere cool and trendy…and we’d always end up in Pizza Express! It seemed chic enough for a group of young women to hang out in, but not unapproachable – we could have a reasonably priced 2 or 3 course dinner and enjoy wine (still a novelty!). Perfect. Looking back, this was a regular occurrence for us throughout our teens and early twenties.

We even went to the Pizza Express on Baker Street, London for our farewell dinner after we left sixth-form. A momentous occasion! I’d completely forgotten about that till we sat down and thought about it. Mum and I reeled off the branches across the country we’d been to and enjoyed over the years and it was quite a few. And we’d always enjoyed good food, friendly atmosphere and pleasant settings, without breaking the bank. Pizza Express was always the option when we were visiting a new place and needed somewhere for dinner or lunch, that we knew we could rely on for good food.

Anyway, back to the food!…

I opted for Bruschetta con Funghi, which was creamy, packed full of flavour and deceptively light! The bread wasn’t dense or doughy, with just enough crispiness on the outside. The sauce wasn’t overly thick or creamy and the red onions, mushrooms and balsamic glaze were delish!

Mum went for the New Risotto Fresco, which was a light risotto with oaked salmon served with rocket and lemon. Not a huge portion, but just right for a starter we thought and we were impressed to see a good risotto on the menu (not just pizza, breads and salads). It’s also gluten-free which we were really impressed with.

As we devoured our starters, we continued reminiscing about our Pizza Express past. And we remembered we often used to go to the Jazz nights at the Soho branch in London. This time it was something I used to do with my parents. A winner all round – good food and big portions (so Dad was pleased), pleasant setting without being too raucous on a Friday night (so Mum was pleased) and Jamie Cullum tinkling those ivories (I was VERY pleased!). We saw a few acts here over the years. We’d buy a ticket to the show, which we’d enjoy with pizza and wine – perfect combo! The place is tiny, so it was the intimate setting music-lovers appreciate. A fabulous way to hear some of the best music in town.

Right, back to the mains…

Naturally, we opted for pizzas (wouldn’t have seemed right otherwise). I went for the New Emilia Romana Pizza (bottom photo). Packed full of goats cheese, closed-cup and chestnut mushrooms, garlic oil, a variety of cheeses and finished with rocket and truffle oil. Yum! I asked them to go easy on the rocket, which they did and the pizza was thin, cripsy and delicious! This pizza doesn’t have a tomato base either, so tastes creamy and yummy.

Mum went for the Da Morire Romana Pizza, which I nearly chose myself. But we figured we’d get a different one each and share…duh! Her pizza had all the best things in life on it…gorgonzola, crispy pancetta, leeks, artichoke, mozzarella and chilli oil, on a tomato base. And boy was it good! We chatted with the waitress and she told us this pizza was created by a customer after Pizza Express released a competition to create your own pizza. I don’t know who came up with the Da Morire…but I salute you.

Naturally, we devoured both, washed down with carafes of chilled Pinot Grigio. The perfect Italian combination!

I feel I should make a special mention to our side dish of Polenta Chips. Although not a total new-comer to the Pizza Express menu, I’d never noticed it before and thought it beat the standard potato chip and way more authentic! And boy were they good! We weren’t quite sure what to expect, but they’re light, fluffy and twice-baked – so not greasy at all. Served with a dusting of Gran Moravia cheese and a honey mustard dressing, I could’ve happily gotten through a whole portion to myself (but I shared like a good girl).

Reminiscing over and eager to see the dessert menu, we were having a great time and noticed that the restaurant had remained busy, seeing people come and go throughout the time we’d been there. It had a really nice atmosphere and you could tell most people were local, which is always lovely as it really felt like a neighbourhood joint.

The desserts…

I am way more of a savoury girl and revel in the Starters and Mains section of a menu. However, from our centrally located table, I’d managed to spot desserts coming out of the kitchen and they all looked blimmin’ good! As we’d had 2 courses already, we both wanted something light and summery to finish our meal.

I went for the New Vanilla Panna Cotta. I’d usually choose something cholocatey, but I’m so glad I didn’t as this was really rather tasty. A light and creamy finish to my 3-courses and the raspberry coulis complimented it perfectly.

Mum went for the Leggara Sorbet. She chose the dairy-free raspberry version, which came with a chocolate straw and sprig of mint. The sorbet was creamier than I’d expected and a really nice way to finish-off a meal. Guess what?! It’s also gluten-free and under 200 calories. A winner all round!

Satisfyingly full, our dinner had come to an end. We had such a lovely evening in a restaurant that I’ll admit, we’d forgotten about a bit recently. But I’m so glad I’ve re-discovered Pizza Express, as it’s been serving pizza in style in my life for at least 12 years. I most certainly will be a regular at our local branch in West Didsbury and I spotted a few things on the menu that I know hubby will love, so don’t think it’ll be long till they see our hungry faces again 🙂

With an impressive menu of pizza, salads and other italian goodies, gluten-free and low-calorie options, Pizza Express really has something for everyone. It’s a great way to eat out without breaking the bank and you don’t leave feeling quite so guilty as you might after 3-courses at other restaurants.

Have you tried any of the new menu at Pizza Express yet? What would you recommend?

[mc-sign-up-list]