Dinner With Meg

Those in and around Manchester may remember when Rigatoni’s was Sugo Pasta Kitchen. Infact, since its inception in 2015, there have been several iterations of the South Italian pasta kitchen – Sugo, Sud Pasta and now, Rigatoni’s.

I actually visited their Ancoats location when it was Sud Pasta, but since then they’ve scaled back and now call their sole home where they started their journey – Altrincham. Nestled near the market hall, they’re in good company. Those that frequent Altrincham will know there’s an array of bars, restaurants, and bakeries that are there doing great things, and Rigatoni’s certainly is the gold standard. 

This latest chapter sees Rigatoni’s take over a homely space that seats just 20 people. It’s charming and inviting; the space warm and cosy which is much appreciated when stepping in from frosty, cobbled streets, and it made the perfect setting for a catch up with close friends who are all foodies. Thinking about it we couldn’t have picked a better place, really.

If you’ve seen my content and reviews before, you may know I appreciate a restaurant that really nails its offering, in the sense that they don’t overcomplicate things. The menu isn’t complex, nor does it need to be. I really rate a place that can knuckle down on their niche with a select few dishes on the menu that are true specialities.

Rigatoni’s nails this brief. When greeted and sat down at your table, you won’t be handed a menu. Instead, you’ll be directed to the blackboards on the wall for all courses, and even your drinks. I’m not sure if the scrawlings on the blackboards are for aesthetic purposes or for the ease of chopping and changing dishes dependent on seasonal produce, but either works. There’s something quite nice about it being stripped back to the simplicity of handwriting on a blackboard. No typing up of menus or creation of QR codes required.

And whilst there’s simplicity in the format of the menu, there’s simplicity in its contents too. Ingredients per dish are a select few, carefully selected to play a key role in the flavour profile of each dish, and the six-or-so starters and main courses expertly crafted to deliver that bold flavour Rigatoni’s prides itself on. Yet somehow, despite the degree of simplicity, there’s an air of sophistication and elevation to each dish, but it still remains unsnobby and far from pretentious.

For full transparency, upon studying the menu, I did think the dishes were a little on the pricier side. But visit expecting that, and knowing that you really do get what you pay for, and it’s an easy pill to swallow. Not only do you get hearty portions, but the quality of the dishes are superb – a reflection of carefully-selected produce and suppliers I’m sure.

I attended with fellow ‘sharers’; the unsung heroes of any friendship group and a necessity in any social circle. People that are happy to share their starters when you fancy a dabble in a couple of different things at least. So without much deliberation (we had our clear favourites), we ordered the meatballs to start and the stracciatella di burrata.

I’ve had meatballs plenty of times at other eateries, many of which have been meatballs in a tomato sauce – pretty straightforward, but of course delicious if done well. Here though, they weren’t just meatballs in a tomato sauce. Instead, these beef and pork balls of bold flavour and sheer delight for the tastebuds were encased in a hearty borlotti bean ragu, and topped with salsa verde, parmesan, and pan grattato (fancy breadcrumbs, to the ordinary person). 

It was delicately selected layers of flavour, all of which came together to create an delicious starter. A particular highlight for me was the salsa verde and the fresh contrast it brought to the rich ragu. It was a pairing I’d not encountered before, but one that worked nonetheless.

The stracciatella di burrata arrived – a burst of colour onto the plate – the chef was an artist, this was their canvas, and I was the excited observer giddy to get stuck in as the plate was placed in the centre of the table. The cheese was accompanied by honeypickled beets, radicchio, beetroot chutney, and toasted walnuts.

It was like the posh relative of an insalata caprese or burrata and olive oil you may get elsewhere. And, again, there’s nothing wrong with that, but hopefully this makes clear what I mean about a degree of simplicity that’s balanced out by elevation and sophistication in every dish.

However, unlike the fancy relative you may avoid at family gatherings in fear of getting into a complex debate about the state of the world or the (in)correct use of pronouns, this dish is inviting, moreish, and something you definitely shouldn’t avoid when dining at Rigatoni’s. The flavours on that plate were outstanding. It was then I knew if the starters were setting the bar this high, my main course was set to be phenomenal.

And so we proceeded to sip our gavi as we caught up on life and the trials and tribulations of being a 20 or 30-something year old, eager for our next course whilst also not wanting to wish the evening away. With a welcomed, reasonable break between our starter and main course, our pastas soon arrived.

My friends ordered the ‘House Sugo’ – undoubtedly the dish this place is known for, and for good reason. It’s ragu made from 8-hour slow cooked beef shin, pork shoulder, nduja and parmesan. Rich, but not too much, and still easy to eat. This is what I ordered when I visited the Ancoats location, back when it was Sugo Pasta. I had to battle with my tastebuds here and resist ordering it again. It’s that age-old dilemma of:  ‘do I opt for familiarity because I know how delicious this is and I know to expect greatness, or do I go off-piste and try something new?’

Given I’d only visited the once before I decided to break the habit before it even began. I opted for ‘Pancetta’ – a pasta dish compiled of roasted sprouts, pancetta, apple cider, chilli, parmesan, pine nuts, and those fancy breadcrumbs I mentioned earlier.

I absolutely savoured every mouthful. I’m a sucker for a pancetta and sprout pairing anyway, and not just at Christmas. But stick them in a pasta with a subtle kick of fresh chilli, and Rigatoni’s were absolutely speaking my language.

The sauce wasn’t heavy and lightly glossed the pasta, but it was so good that I could’ve licked the bowl clean. Luckily for me, my friends love bread just as much as I do, so we’d pre-empted the mopping up of sauce and ordered the garlic and rosemary sourdough.

As a fiend for garlic bread with cheese, that’s usually my trusty pasta accompaniment but this sourdough blew any other bread I’d had out the water. Strong flavour and gorgeously soft in the middle, it was an essential mop for the delicious sauce that did still linger in my dish (but don’t be fooled, there was barely any because I had found a way to scoop most of it up with my pasta).

Then, onto dessert. We swore we were too full, but when the waitress came over and asked if we were going to browse the menu at least, who were we to say no? And so, my fellow sharers and I settled on sharing two desserts between the three of us. A little less greedy, right? 

Aside from the ice cream and sorbets, there were only two desserts on the menu which suited us nicely as we got one of each. A warm treacle and walnut tart, and (Italians, look away now) a pannacotta tiramisu. I love a pannacotta at the best of times so I suspected the latter would be my favourite, but the former really did take me by surprise. Not because I didn’t think I’d like it – based on this course’s predecessors I knew I was in for a treat – but because I loved it so much more than I expected. It was fairly rich but the ice cream balanced it out. It was indulgent but not overpowering.

And the pannacotta was just as good as expected. It was almost like a deconstructed tiramisu but with a pannacotta as the supporting artist. I know it’s not traditional and it’s an amalgamation of two well-loved desserts, but it’s a clash I think even the Italians couldn’t be mad with. It works. 

One thing I did eye up on the menu was the ‘Broccolini’. It’s a dish often exhibited on their social media, so as if the description of ‘anchovy butter, chicken stock, broccoli, chilli, parmesan, and pan grattato’ wasn’t enough to make the tastebuds stand to attention, I could visualise it too thanks to its reputation online.

I guess it’ll require another visit. 

Rigatoni’s also do a lunch deal too which is £18 for a pasta and side, off a set menu, so perfect if you’re wanting to see what all the fuss is about but need your bank account’s seal of approval.

If you’re in and around Altrincham and by chance haven’t tried Rigatoni’s yet, do. Just make sure you book to avoid the inevitable disappointment of attempting a walk-in.