Restaurant Review

Vivi

252 Woolton Road, L16 8NE

By Will Carr  | Italian| ££ |

After queuing in the sweltering heat for 20 minutes to buy a t-shirt that didn’t feel like I’d been swimming in, and being challenged to a dance-off by the drunkest man I’d ever met in the middle of Primark, I needed a break from the city centre.

Wandering through the leafy suburbs that surround Liverpool Hope University, trying to find shelter from the harsh sun, I noticed the impressive frontage of Vivi. It stood out like an oasis, but better because it served pasta. The turquoise and gold colour scheme, Art Deco style, and tasteful bar made Vivi look like it had been snatched from the back of a fashionable London hotel. I would come to quickly learn that Vivi was tailor-made for torturously hot days.

Specialising in small dishes, Vivi is a world away from my typical experience of Italian restaurants, i.e piling on the pasta until the customer is too heavy to escape without paying the bill. The small plates allow you to savour the amazing food without forcing you to hire a crane to lift you out of the building afterwards. Conversely, if you are expecting to be filled up, be prepared to order several dishes. Thankfully, the excellent server Elle and courteous manager Jamie were on hand to talk me through the menu as they rightly sensed I was lost in the sea of Italian.

I started with the Focaccia bread with Evoo oil for dipping (£5.5). It was the perfect choice for a starter. The confit garlic and aged balsamic vinegar added a complexity of flavour that made the oil really sing.

My first main plate was the Gramigna egg pasta and polpettine (£11.5). The small meatballs were divine, sitting in a tomato sauce that tasted fresh and rich. Though petite, the dish packed a powerful punchy flavour, and the pasta, covered in 36-month-aged parmesan, had a superb buttery taste. After witnessing one pass by my table, and despairing that it wasn’t placed in front of me, I was compelled to then order a Diavola pizza (£9). The simple salami and mozzarella pizza was beautifully cooked, crisp and perfectly arranged. It was decently sized but not overbearing. Both of the dishes would have made a respectable lunch.

For dessert, I chose Gabriella’s Torta Sorpresa (£8), which may go down as the best cake I’ve ever tasted. The generous slice had warm, ginger notes that evoked memories of carrot cake but with none of the unpleasant texture. It was paired with thick smooth vanilla mascarpone and crushed pistachio that when all combined together was enough to make its consumption a requirement when visiting Vivi.

Gluttony dictated I finish with the Arancino Sbagliato (£4). The decadent fried dough ball concealed a delicious white chocolate and pistachio cream and may have not been as delicately flavoured as the cake but made up for it with its intensity.

Vivi combines the relaxed and unpretentious nature of a café with the class, sophistication and dedication to fine service and excellent food that you’d expect from a quality Italian eatery. Veni, Vidi, Vivi. I came, I saw, I lived, especially after a second glass of the vivi.

viviliverpool.co.uk

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