I first heard about Gio's when the gent himself contacted me about his new restaurant venture in…read moreWalsall. As well as running a restaurant in a little community centre, he also runs a number of classes in the Community on healthy eating to help educate children and parents about sourcing ingredients and the benefits of eating good food. When he invited me down to have a look at the place and have a chat about it, I couldn't help but say yes!
First thing to note is that (depending on which way you get down there), it can be a little difficult to find. Hidden on a housing estate, Gio's deli is situated on the corner of a cul-de-sac within a community centre. It took us a little while to get there by car, but that's mainly due to the traffic on the motorway. On a good day (traffic wise) I reckon you could get there by car within around 25 minutes. You can catch public transport to Walsall, but a cab from the centre would be recommended if you plan on visiting.
Gio's ethos is about providing good, Italian food without the snobbiness or high price tag. His prices are extremely fair! Last night me and Dan went down for dinner and a three course meal (including a coffee) was the less-than-princely sum of £13.50. Main dishes start from £3.50 and there are a number of options for smaller plates (if you don't have a huge appetite). It's also BYOB - so feel free to take down a bottle of wine or some good beers to accompany your Italian feast!
It really is a lovely little restaurant. It feels like you're stepping into Gio's living room as the space is warm, welcoming and you are surrounded by knickknacks and trinkets (I particularly liked the collection of teapots). We were welcomed as soon as we stepped in the door and were served by Gio's daughter, Gabriella, who is the front of house while the man himself cooks all of the food.
As I am one for a big dinner (I know, shock right?), we opted for the 3 course and cracked open our wine. The first course was a selection of Antipasto including cured meats, the most amazing focaccia I have ever eaten and a piece of frittata. We were also bought over olive oil, balsamic vinegar and an infused chilli oil to drizzle over our food. It was all 100% spot on. No complaints whatsoever! It's also worth nothing that there are quite a few vegetarian options on the menu - so have at it veggies!
Between courses, Gio came over and we had a lovely chat about the area, his time in Italy (he has Italian roots and is keen to create genuinely authentic food) and the aims of the restaurant and the classes. He bakes and makes everything fresh, so no store bought boring pasta here - it's all freshly made.
Our main course was a selection of 4 pastas. We had a veggie lasagne, a meat lasagne, a dish with thick "noodle" style pasta and veg and gnocchi. I'm not normally a fan of gnocchi, but this was lighter than I was expecting (as was the lasagne which is made with crepes rather than pasta sheets). Again, this was all amazing - but I was STUFFED afterwards!
We had to have a break after this as we had dessert coming! The dessert ended up being fantastic too - like a creme caramel made with egg custard. I just about managed to finish everything, but I was struggling to keep my eyes open after the meal with the delicious mix of the warm surroundings, good food and homely atmosphere.
I loved our visit to Gio's. Racking up a bill of just £27.50, there is really NOTHING to complain about. We were even given a bag of focaccia to take away, so we could warm it up and enjoy it at home! I can't think of a more pleasant way to spend a Monday evening than enjoying some great food with great company and a great place. Gio.... My only issue is that you are too far away to pop in often, but believe you me - we'll be back!
