LUX Autumn 2018

LPP18025 Sotto – ATaste of Italy in the Heart of Carlisle Taste Lauded among peers and guests alike, Sotto in Carlisle comes highly recommended. Based inside a once- derelict church, the restaurant looks like something out of the pages of a gothic romance, with original arched windows and a well-lit façade making a striking first impression. Inside the doors, the décor takes a decidedly more contemporary tone, with black and silver embellishments throughout. Though, for the most part, the original brick walls remain, offering a reminder of the locale. Like the decoration, the menu too holds a surprise – using traditional Italian dishes as a robust foundation, Sotto embellishes with the contemporary. A relaxed nouveau cuisine triumphs under this steepled roof, all the style without sacrificing a full stomach. All in all, the restaurant exemplifies the idea of modern twists on traditional foundations; the robustness and familiarity of the original, with the zest of the new. It is a difficult balance that many try to capture – but, none succeed as triumphantly as Sotto. Although the pizzas remain a guest favourite, the fillet and cherry duck are wonderful in both taste and texture. Sotto’s award-winning sea bass, served with a garlic white wine sauce, is an explosion of exquisite flavours. Owner Jasen Burke, who also owns the Little Italy Restaurant in Dumfries, has twenty-five years of experience in the catering and hospitality industries. With a flair for great tasting food, and for finding the very best ingredients, Jasen has created an outstanding eatery that personifies the best of Italy with an innovative, novel spark. The 2018 Restaurant and Bar Awards were launched to recognise the very best culinary delights and drinking establishments around the world, from the heights of luxury, to the pleasant local hideaways that scatter hamlets and cities alike. As the best Italian restaurant in the region, Sotto offers flavourful, authentic dishes that are sure to please even the most ardent Italophile, with twists that keep gourmets guessing. Based insroberide a newly renovated derelict church, Sotto offers a remarkable dining experience for those pining for authentic Italian cuisine. Earlier this year, LUXlife magazine named Sotto Carlisle among the winners of the 2018 Restaurant and Bar Awards programme, with the title of Best Italian Restaurant in Cumbria. On the back of this, LUXlife profiled this remarkable restaurant to find out the secret to its ongoing success in the city. Company: Sotto- Carlisle Address: 35 Warwick Rd, Carlisle, CA1 1EE, United Kingdom Telephone: 01228 539 113 Website: www.sottocarlisle.co.uk