A glowing report!
This week Cross Productions Marketing Director Sally Smith ventured into Leicester City Centre to see if the newest Argentina restaurant Sonrisa would live up to it’s rapidly growing hyped reputation.
With several key dates coming up on our calendars including Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, we wanted to let our readers know if this is the place to treat the ones you love…
The vibe
Entering the restaurant, the vibe was relaxed. Mariana was ready to greet and seat us,
the lighting was set to mood and there was quiet chatter filling the air. Filled with students, old friends, couples, families, and work colleagues, I was amazed at how much hustle and bustle there was for a Monday evening in the city. It brought a smile to my face to think of this restaurant not just surviving but thriving still 10 months after being on the map.
Beth was our waitress for the evening and was radiating a bright and bubbly personality. Talking us through the menu as first-time visitors, we were overwhelmed with the eclectic range before us.
The menu
Step 1: Pick your starters (or Comenzar, in Spanish)
What we ordered: Crème De Jamon Iberico, Cured Beef Croquette and Calamari.
Our verdict: We all know that the starter sets the tone for the rest of a meal. If you are looking for one, melt in the mouth bite then opting for the Cured Beef Croquette would be my recommendation. Made for sharing there were in fact three perfectly golden croquettes, if these were not enough on their own even the dressing was a punchy knock out.
Step 2: Sharing starters or tapas otherwise known as Marisocs (fish), Verduras (vegetables), and Carne (meat).
What we ordered: Grilled Octopus and Iberian Lamb Loin.
Our verdict: Having never tried octopus before, we decided now was our chance. This was melt-in-the-mouth delicious and paired perfectly with a potato and pepper risotto. The lamb loin was delivered to the table with a perfect pink blush and accompanied by a potato terrine. With confidence I can say on my next visit I will specifically order and devour a full potato terrine on it’s own from this menu.
Step 3: Main Meals from a selection of Pasta and Arroz or Bife (steak) and Complementos (sides).
What we ordered: Marucha Flat Iron, Chicken Arroz accompanied with Garlic and Parsley Fries.
Our verdict: This is the course that caught us by surprise. Normally we would opt for the typical sirloin steak. However, on Beth’s advice, we chose a flat iron steak. The word that was repeated throughout this course was WOW from a mouth-watering marinade to the perfect cook. We were delivered steak knives, but these were unnecessary as the meat was so soft and succulent. We have in fact come to a major conclusion that no longer will we visit a steak restaurant but instead opt for Sonrisa.
Of course, you can round your meal off with a delightful desert, otherwise known as Posters, however on this occasion our eyes were bigger than our bellies and perfectly plump! (Although we did bring some Chicken Arozza home to enjoy for lunch tomorrow)
Our overall verdict was 5/5 and we would go higher if possible. Before I left, a message was sent both to a group of friends and my partner as I can’t wait to have an excuse to go back.
Don’t have your heart broken by the books being full, treat yourself this valentines and book your table now!
Written by Sally Smith
In addition, there is a feature in tunnel rush that enables players to share their scores with their friends and other people.