THE LA CANTINA LOUNGE MENU ‐from 11‐00 am until we close :

Panini and sandwiches, Italian Salads, freshly prepared Soups, and light Savouries

Panini, rolls or sandwiches £3‐50

‐served on your choice of white or granary bread, rustic ciabatta or white or brown

Panini rolls, and accompanied with lightly dressed salad leaves and hand cooked

crisps

‐chicken breast, freshly cooked with rosemary and thyme,rocket & lemon mayonnaise

*****************

‐cooked ham ( Italian prosciutto cotto infused with rosemary, or Wiltshire ham), served with grain mustard

*****************

‐smoked salmon with thinly sliced cucumber, Italian capers, lemon juice (with cream cheese if required ) and a twist of freshly ground black pepper

****************

‐Napoli or Milano salami with sliced gherkin (and thinly sliced shallot if required )

****************

‐locally produced Cheshire cheeses (with a taste of quality chutney or piccalilli )

***************

‐tuna, sliced plum tomato, dressed with extra virgin olive oil and freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

A plate of 4 slices of Italian Crostini, served with mixed olives, and tomatoes dressed with sea salt, herbs and extra virgin olive oil £4‐50

toasted country bread, rubbed with garlic, and topped with extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground sea salt and black pepper and sliced tomatoes and fresh basil herbs (basilico)

‐as above but served with a selection of sliced buffalo mozzarella cheese and or £4‐80

artichokes in oil and a few mixed olives

Selection of Italian tramezzini £3‐80

‐a plate of Italian style sandwiches‐(as served in cities like Rome, Milan and Venice) freshly prepared on thin white crustless bread, quartered to 6 bite sized pieces and filled with a selection of insalata di pollo ( chicken mixed with salad leaves and mayonnaise); sliced boiled egg with tomato, tuna and sliced artichokes with thinly spread mayonnaise, and cooked ham with sliced gherkin and tomato ) : ideal with a glass of chilled Prosecco wine, still white wine or a light fruit cocktail.

Each breakfast order is available with any of our Italian coffees or English and fusion teas, as much as you want including refills, simply for an additional price of £1‐20 per person instead of the separately purchased coffee and tea beverages which are listed at the back of this menu

Cheshire Bacon ( with sliced black pudding and tomato if required ) on a White or Brown lightly toasted roll £3‐30

*********************

Basket of croissants –all butter and chocolate (warmed or cold ), butter and Italian conserves, with a ‘Spremuta di Arancia ‘‐ a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice £3‐80

*********************

A warmed Bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese £3‐30

*********************

A selection of white and brown toast with butter, jam and marmalades and fresh

Orange juice £2‐70

*********************

Two poached Cheshire free range eggs ( or freshly prepared scrambled egg‐ with

slices of smoked salmon if you like) on white or brown toast £3‐50

*********************

Italian breakfast platter of cooked Italian ham ( prosciutto cotto infused with rosemary), an Italian style breakfast cheese ( Crabtree, a cheese made locally to an Italian alpine recipe –fruity, creamy with a supple texture from unpasteurised milk), a croissant and a small mix of freshly prepared fruit ( and accompanying yoghurt if you wish) £4‐20

********************

A simple bowl of muesli or breakfast cereals , with milk ( and addition of yoghurt and slices of fresh fruit if requested) £2‐20

********************

A warmed or cold all butter or chocolate croissant £1‐15

Soups, salads and cold savouries

Italian recipe soups –made on the premises each morning and served with slices of freshly baked country bread and butter, and where relevant the best, aged freshly grated Italian parmigiano (parmesan ) cheese £4‐20

‐as available and described on today’s Dishes of the Day supplement sheet‐

Examples are :

Minestra of freshly prepared chicken stock and small pieces of chicken, seasonable vegetables and Italian beans, rice or pasta and flavoured with tomato;

Onion soup, served with lightly toasted country bread and melted slices of Italian alpine cheese;

Pasta Ceci a warming soup popular in Rome made with broken up fettucine, garbanzo beans

(chickpeas), tomato, garlic, oil and rosemary and a little peperoncino chilli

La Vignarole in spring and early summer from fresh peas, broad beans and artichokes seasoned with fresh mint

Italian and continental style salads or cold dishes prepared fresh to order, served with country bread or a panino bread roll £6‐50

Your selection from :

‐Caprese ( best quality Buffalo Mozzarella cheese with sliced tomatoes, and fresh basil,

dressed with ground sea salt &black pepper with extra virgin olive oil

****************************

‐Insalata Amalfitana ( fennel, red onion, cucumber, radishes, sliced juicy oranges ) served with a small selection of Italian or local cheeses

***************************

‐Prosciutto crudo and asparagus served with shavings of aged parmesan cheese and rocket

and lightly dressed with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and freshly ground

sea salt and black pepper

***************************

‐Antipasto misto ‐a Charcuterie plate of mixed salami, prosciutto, olives , vegetables cured in oil and an accompaniment of mixed Italian beans, cut celery and sliced shallots

***************************

‐Frittata of free range Cheshire cooked eggs , omelette style, prepared with herbs and

cheese and served cold in slices, with a tomato or mixed leaves salad

***************************

‐Tonno e Fagioli ‐ a salad of tuna mixed with Italian borlotti beans, celery, onion, and herbs

with a hint of peperoncino pepper and mixed with white wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil

and freshly ground sea salt and pepper

**************************

‐Other salads and both warmed and cold savouries as available are described on today’s

Dishes of the Day supplement sheet;

A full selection of quality cheeses from Cheshire small holding producers, served with breads or

biscuits, tasty preserves, fresh cut organic celery and a piece of in season fresh fruit £6‐00

A selection of homemade speciality biscuits and cakes

‐ a thick slice of homemade cake, with or without clotted cream on the side £2‐40

( these vary week to week but include Fruit cake, Ginger ,Lemon cake, Chocolate or Carrot cake‐ ask about today’s selection or have a look)

‐ a small plate of 2‐3 homemade biscuits £1‐20

‐ a small plate of decorated cupcakes £1‐60

Pasticceria

‐a selection of Italian pasticceria style cakes, marzipans and speciality biscuits £3‐20

(just ask and we can describe what we have in from regions like Sicily and the south of the Italian mainland, famous throughout the world for glazed fruit, marzipan and cream desserts and cakes )

Afternoon Tea

‐cream tea comprising home baked scones, clotted cream & strawberry conserve £4‐00

‐cream tea with a pot of tea of your choice £4‐60

‐afternoon sandwich, cake and cream tea comprising a selection of finger sandwiches, £9‐50

Home baked scones with clotted cream and strawberry conserve and a slice of homemade cake or cupcakes, and a pot of tea of your choice

Italian Desserts

‐a bowl of homemade authentic recipe Italian tiramisu ( which means ‘pick me up’!!) £5‐50

‐a bowl of mixed cut fresh fruits or summer fruits ‐ frutta di bosca ‐ ,served with accompanying clotted cream or crème fraiche if you wish

‐torta della casa ; homemade Italian tart with fruits and creams £3‐20

Ice cream & Sorbet & Granita

‐a bowl of locally produced pure ice cream with a selection from vanilla with pod, £3‐20

forest fruits, double chocolate, raspberry pavlova , and honeycomb; any 2 combinations you require served with a dollop of ‘panna’  ( thick cream ) if you want to indulge, and nice wafer biscuits

‐a bowl of refreshing sorbet such as Kiwi, Lemon or Orange , please ask £2‐20

Cakes & Biscuits, Pasticceria, Afternoon Teas and Ice creams & Sorbets

Food is our common ground, a universal experience.
James Beard

Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what's for lunch.
Orson Welles

The trouble with eating Italian food is that five or six days later you’re hungry again.
George Miller