Review: Polpo Exeter

The restaurant itself was much bigger than I thought, but somehow still manages to feel cosy.  There is a large bar as the centrepiece and an open kitchen, so you can observe the incredible creations being made. On a Wednesday evening there was a relaxing, candlelit atmosphere. 

I would describe the menu as a sort of Venetian tapas, as there's a great selection of small dishes, to graze while chatting and drinking. The staff recommended trying lot's of different dishes, and gladly gave me their recommendations, so we got stuck in and ordered a great selection. 

To start the evening we were given some mozzarella, tomato & basil skewers and potato & parmesan crocchettes. The crocchettes were little cheesey balls of heaven, truly delicious!  The skewers were light and full of flavour, super fresh. A perfect start!

Our waitress recommended the stuffed fried olives, and they didn't disappoint! They had a light panko breadcrumb coating and were stuffed with anchovy and parmesan cheese.  The saltiness of the anchovies removed any bitterness that olives can hold, and it makes a perfect, flavoursome mouthful. 

Of course we just had to try some pizzette, and chose prosciutto & gorgonzola and grilled garlic pizza bread. Light and stone baked with plenty of toppings.

We also had some classic meatballs in a rich tomato sauce and topped with parmesan. They were delicious and the garlic bread was perfect for mopping up the leftover sauce!