It's not so much a restaurant - more like being at your friend's parents who happen to be Italian. This community cafe has attracted an impressive following. Jamie Walker is a talented Italian specialist, bringing little known traditional dishes of Italy.
Each dish comes with a description of its origin with portions that can be shared amongst friends or family where appropriate. Jamie has also created some fantastic originals - you cannot miss these. The bar will offer the best experience with a blend of Italian
liquor.
When to go: Perfect for a meal after the theatre with a few close friends who like to share.
What to have: You are really spoilt for choice here
Having opted to eat here some days before my wedding, I was well placed to critique this restaurant following the tasting of food to be served at my wedding.
Now normally I would go for bigger restaurant chains as a matter of habit, you get what you know and like region wide. However, having sampled the food here I can reveal that
I am going to change my habbit. The interior is simple with no candle light, meaning there was no ambience. But the food.. of the food! With generous proportions and very competitive
pricing I will be a very regular customer here.
When to go: Fantastic lunch menu with generous proportions. Lunch time is the time for me.
What to have: Try the garlic mushroom dish. Superb.
Frequented by celebrities including professional footballers from Manchester's biggest clubs, this family run restaurant has a lot to offer. Having started
out as a family-run pizzeria the establishment has grown from strength to strength. All this despite not being in the best location in Manchester! The architecture
of the building is, however, stunning. Constructed just over a hundred years ago and currently Grade 2 listed, the restaurant is especially superb when it comes to steaks,
pizzas, pastas and seafood dishes.
When to go: Great at any time, although you may want to avoid weekends as you are unlikely to get a table. It is that busy!
What to have: I would recommend the seafood dishes. It doesn't get much better than this.
More and more people are packing their lives in the UK up to make the move to Italy. If you are thinking of making the move yourself there are a few things you should
consider before you pack up! You are not alone, however. Here's a word of caution: it is not unheard of for families to pack their UK lives up to move abroad, only to find that
their new destination did not suit them all, pack things up again and fly back to Britain. Here is a quick guide that will get your brain going on what you need to think about.
can you afford to move?
Money is commonly the number one obstacle to doing the things that we want. What you want to do is create a budget detailing your liklihood of gaining suitable employment, your likely income,
expenditure and the cost of your required standard of living. Doing this at the earliest stage will prepare you and make sure that you are making the right decision.
You should also look at your financial situation. Are you in any debt that will need to be settled before you move. Are you employed or are you relying on payday loans for people on benefits? If you are struggling financially, how will this move impact you? Typically,
people who are struggling make use of financial products like small payday loans that are increasingly popular in the UK. Will you need to borrow money to
finance your move? If you need help with debt you can use the following resources for advice:
Borrowing money for your move is a situation that can potentially get out of control. This is especially true if you are utilising high-cost credit products like payday loans online and more. These are generally short-term loans that you are meant to repay within 31 days. The APRs are very high and usually
range all the way up to around the 1,000% mark which in my days of youth and freedom was virtually unheard of. Stay clear of rogue traders as well, explained here, that will charge you a fee for arranging a loan they have know intention of arranging. These guys are simply breaking the law.
There are several resources that are designed and specifically targeted for your move to Italy. These include financial books which can be read by clicking this link. Articles and various blogs on payday loans and their impact on local communities. How to budget properly when making the move to Italy. Expenses that you are likely to come accross as an Italian resident and what funding you may be
entitled to as an EU resident. It's important to know what the system can offer including financial services e.g. debt advice, as well as health services. Click here for a crash course on payday loans and their different types.
sometimes things aren't what they seem
Emmigrating is a big decision and is likely to be a big change as well. The last thing you want to do is uproot to a new country only to have to repeat the process. You
don't really want to base your decision on text, pictures and video clips. Go out there and experience the area you would want to live. This will reinforce your decision
time for some admin
If you are still happy with your decision then the next stage is finding out how you can move and work there. You need to be asking questions like
- do you need a Visa?
- is health insurance a requirement?
- are there any income requirements?
- what is the process for residency applications & work permits?
- how much will it cost to have all travel arrangements in place?
property hunting in Italy
Time to look for a home!! Your best bet is to deal with estate agents that know the Italian market well. Given the strength of the British pound compared to the Euro you
could pick up a real bargain.
Finance - Italian mortgages
If you need a mortgage to purchase a home in italy there are a number of issues that you will need to be aware of. The majority of UK banks cannot
accept a property overseas as security for a loan or, in other words, they cannot take a charge on property located abroad. If you do
decide to approach an Italian bank directly then you may encounter several difficulties that you would normally be unaware of. This task is made even more
difficult if you don't speak the language and are unaware of the cultural differences that can exist. Approach home improvements very much as you would in the UK, taking account of the weather, of course. Use a service like HOnest John
for quotes for double glazing.
