TRUE TASTE OF ITALY

Cheikhos Restaurant
12 Church Street
Lutterworth
Leicestershire
LE17 4AW
01455 559869

OCCASIONALLY you find a gem. When you do it is uplifting. There are unsung restaurants out there producing quality food at value prices but it is sometimes hard to find them.
Step forward FSB member Cheikhos, tucked away in a side street in deepest Leicestershire.
I’d never been anywhere near Lutterworth before. It is a market town of 8,500 inhabitants, the home of Sir Frank Whittle who invented the jet engine.
I arrived after a seven hour drive and not in the best of moods.
The weather was fair so I went for a walk to ease my legs and spotted the distinctive restaurant frontage.
A quick glance at the menu was enough to encourage me to come back later. I was not disappointed.
As I arrived some diners were leaving, all singing the praises of the chef. A good start. The extensive menu was mouth-watering.
I decided to go for gigot d’agneau, a braised shank of lamb surrounded with Mediterranean vegetables and a rich tomato sauce. The sweetness of the lamb was complimented by the vegetables and the sauce.
What’s more, the portion was so good I couldn’t find space for a sweet.
This restaurant is just off the M1 and well worth a visit. Vegetarian devotees are catered for. The choice included wild mushrooms sauted with shallots and garlic, a touch of cream and served on a medley of green beans lightly cooked in a citrus and black pepper butter.
Next time!