REVIEW: We try Cornwall's newest cafe offering authentic Italian cuisine

When we heard that a new café on the outskirts of Helston would be offering diners a little taste of Italy, we knew we had to check it out.

This week, Piatto officially opened its doors at Homestead Woodland Garden, on the Helston to Redruth Road, the former home of Slice, Taste, and Cornish Food Hub.

At the helm of this new venture is experienced chef, Donato Dondiego, who brings a wealth of culinary expertise to the table – 28 years to be exact. Packet reporter Kate Lockett went along to find out what was on offer during lunchtime at Piatto.

When my guest and I arrived at Piatto, writes Kate, I was taken aback by how relaxed and calm the atmosphere was. There were tables and benches outside for those who wanted to enjoy their meals al fresco, as well as an inside seating area. With the weather slightly warm, my dining partner and I decided to sit outside.

The waitress greeted us with the food and drinks menu, which featured a variety of choices from small plates to main dishes, and cakes.

What We Had for Our Mains

After browsing through the menu, I decided to go for the Italian Sausage and Caramelised Onion Panini, and my dining partner went for the gnocchi with brown butter and sage.

Piatto's Gnocchi was described as comfort in a bowl (Image: NQ)

The panini was delicious – 10/10 for me. The Italian sausage was full of flavour, even more so with the caramelized onion. The two just complimented one another well. The chips were also really tasty, and surprisingly quite light.

My friend described her gnocchi as “comfort in a bowl” and praised its rich, buttery, and cheesy consistency.

Italian sausage and caramelised onion panini with chips and salad (Image: NQ)

The gnocchi also comes as the standard accompaniment for the Bolognese, although you can request spaghetti if you prefer (but based on our experience, we recommend sticking to the gnocchi!). Similarly, if you’re not a fan of sage, Donato also makes his own pesto.

And What About Our Puddings?

This was a difficult choice for me, as I was torn between the lemon posset and the Bailey's profiteroles. In the end, the profiteroles prevailed – and boy what a good choice!

Delicious, creamy with a hint of Bailey’s coming through. The chocolate sauce added that extra bit of flavour.

Kate picked the Baileys profiteroles for her dessert (Image: NQ)

Given Donato’s Italian heritage, there was only one pudding of choice for my friend - the tiramisu.

It proved to be a classic tiramisu, deliciously creamy and not overly strong on the alcohol. Served in a small Kilner jar and traditionally topped with a layer of cocoa powder (plus the silhouette of a cake fork decorating the plate - a nice touch), it was the perfect size for treating yourself to a lunchtime dessert.

Tiramisu (plus the silhouette of a cake fork decorating the plate - a nice touch (Image: NQ)

What’s on the Menu?

The menu boasts a wide selection of dishes from brunch to paninis to ‘while you wait’ dishes and main dishes.

Brunch dishes (served between 10am and 12.30pm) include classics such as Eggs Benedict, Eggs Royale, Eggs Florentine and Eggs of the Deep Sea, which is served with Cornish crab meat, poached eggs, wild rocket, and hollandaise sauce. Each is served on a toasted Cornish muffin. Line-caught Newlyn mackerel fillet is also available for a brunch dish and comes with wild rocket, roasted cherry tomatoes, and poached eggs.

Paninis served with a salad garnish and chips are available from 10am to 4pm. There are four panini options to choose from, these include Prosciutto and Mozzarella, Italian Sausage and Caramelised Onion, Mozzarella Pesto and Tomato, and Roasted Veg and Hummus.

Main meals (served from 12.30pm onwards) include Charcuterie Board for one (a selection of cold meats, mozzarella pearls, marinated olives, cheese, rosemary, focaccia, balsamic and olive oil), a vegetarian board, homemade lasagna, asparagus and Cornish blue risotto, Fettuccine Allo Scoglio, Don Bespoke 8oz Burger, Lamb Kofta, homemade Gnocchi, Bolognese, Filetto di maiale and spaghetti trio.

And for those with a sweet tooth, there are lots to choose from. Bailey’s Profiteroles, Homemade Tiramisu, Cake of the Day, Chocolate Brownie, ice cream, affogato, and Belgian waffles with ice cream are all available on the menu.

There is an Afternoon Tea option available for £16. However, at present, these will need to be pre-booked a few days in advance. In time, it will eventually be able to be ordered off the menu.

Summary

I have to say that our first Piatto experience was everything and more. Donato is putting his heart and soul into his new venture, which is emphasised by his delicious dishes and welcoming atmosphere.

The man behind our delicious dishes - Donato Dondiego (Image: NQ)

My friend and I both agreed that we would be sure to return once again, and have discussed our next visit (which is set to be very soon!)