two rooms ... but there’ll only be one visit (actually we did go back and it was a lot better!)

Second quick review this week. Christmas is a funny time of the year in the catering and hospitality industry. Larger groups than normal, all ordering at the same time, putting pressure on kitchens and waiters. Good places seem to rise above it and churn out turkey dinners (nearly) better than your mother can produce, while poor places collapse under the pressure.

A work do in two rooms (23 University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NA - where Zio Belfast used to be) on Friday night tended towards the poorer result. While we’d ordered in advance of the pre-provided menu, they’d changed some of the options, so we had to order again when we arrived. And the starter I wanted vanished off the menu.

Bruschetta with goats cheese etc was a fine starter. (Someone else had the pea risotto - which looked like a handful of peas floating in Ambrosia rice pudding!)

The roast turkey main course was tough not tender, and cut so thick you could have soled your wellington boots with it. Service felt slow (an hour between the starter plates being set on the table and the main course arriving) and bit cheeky - there’s a limit to the number of wisecracks you really want to hear.

At least one person ended up in the restaurant next door - Tony Roma’s - which has a similar looking name (in the dark, the words begin with T and R).

Overall, not impressed, and won’t be back. Check out the Harbourview Japanese restaurant over at the Waterfront instead!

Update: Responding to an email from the owner who'd read this post, we did go back ... and found it much improved the second time - good enough to recommend!