I ate at the restaurant run by Hull College students - and it's an A* from me

Hull College recently celebrated the grand opening of its newly refurbished training restaurant, Bilocca, run by the college’s talented Catering and Hospitality students.

The restaurant pays tribute to Lillian Bilocca and the Headscarf Revolutionaries, who campaigned for the safety of Hull’s fishermen in the 1960s. The restaurant is entirely manned by college students —from the front of house to the cooks in the kitchen.

I couldn't resist going down to see what it was like.

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When I arrived, I was pleased to see the restaurant already had customers eating. Although a college is not your average setting for a meal, there's no denying this place has been kitted out to feel luxurious and welcoming.

There's an online form for booking in advance, but I went as a walk-in with no issue for the lunch menu. Taking my seat, I was told lunch was a three-course meal at a reasonably priced £18 per head.

Bilocca has just launched their new seasonal menu in time for Christmas, which means it's the perfect place to come for work nights out or family get togethers during the festive season. Starters include mushroom soup; tomato, cucumber, and melon; or salmon and prawn.

I settled on the latter and was absolutely delighted. The cream was delicious and rich, with the salmon and prawns complimenting each other perfectly. I was already impressed and it was only going to get better from here.

Sticking with a fish theme, I opted for the toasted seabass in roasted red pepper and tomato sauce for the main. On presentation alone, this dish had clearly been made with skill and attention to detail.

Taste wise, the sauce was delicious, but the seabass was in a league of its own. The meat was rich and filling, and quite honestly, it made me question if there was a professional chef in the back as opposed to a student. I used the roast potatoes as a way to ensure that the sauce did not go to waste.

For dessert, I had a choice of traditional Christmas pudding or chocolate torte. I went for the latter, and I had just enough room for the slice of dessert. The sweet treat was light and tasty, with a twinge of orange in the cream. I'm not much of a dessert man, but this absolutely won me over.

These students clearly have great things to come in their careers and I tip my hat off to them. You do forget that you're in a college restaurant, and from the food alone, it's easy to believe you're at a high end eatery.

Situated in the college’s Horncastle Building on George Street, the fully licensed restaurant is now accepting reservations every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (12 pm—2 pm) and for an evening dinner service on Thursdays between 7 pm and 9 pm. Bookings can be made online here.