Luca Italian

Went to Luca Italian on Allerton Road for dinner tonight with Jo and Rich as my treat as we didn't go out for either of their birthdays. I came a couple of months ago for breakfast when Kelly was home one weekend and wanted to try it for dinner. You can see what we got here.

It's Italian small plates so we just got a few different things to share between us. We got there for 6:30pm, didn't book and were sat down straight away as they had a cancellation. It was pretty much full with only like 2 empty tables.

Goat's Cheese Bruschetta - Roast plum tomato & aged balsamic - £7

Goat's cheese is usually really strong but it was alright like I'm not a cheese fan and managed to eat it fine.

Orecchiette Rapini - Tuscan sausage, wild broccoli, garlic, chilli, parmesan - £9

This had a kick to it with the chilli and definitely had honey in it as it was sweet. I liked the pasta orecchiette.

Fritto Misto for Two - Salmon, calamari, white bait & king prawns, aioli - £17

I didn't realise the salmon was going to be in batter. I basically ate this to myself as Jo can't eat prawns and Rich doesn't like them and he didn't like the white bait.

Pappadelle al ragu di Osscobuco - 16 hour braised beef shank, pecorino, pangratato - £9

This was basically a spag bol - it was nice but was heavy and rich. I do love a good thick pasta.

Fries - Truffle & parmesan - £5

Couldn't taste any truffle in this just tasted like normal chips!

Pizzette Bianco - Whipped mascarpone, pistachio, truffle honey, mortadella - £8.50

Jo couldn't eat the pizza so was just me and Rich and we liked it - It doesn't look appealing at all but the sweet honey truffle was nice and liked the pistachio nuts on it.

New Potatoes - Hard herbs, sea salt, gremolata - £4.50

These were defo burnt - could taste the salt but nothing else. Bit dry as they were over cooked.

The food came out when it was ready. The food was alright nothing special. Think the pizza was the favourite and the first pasta Orecchiette Rapini minus the kick to it!

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Total Ninja

For my birthday Sarah got me a day out to Total Ninja in Manchester. We'd been to the gym in the morning and trained back which was a really bad idea... Jo came with us and I drove down. It's in Trafford Park down the road from the Trafford Centre.

Kids section - probably would've done better on this...

We were booked onto the recruit one which looks so hard!

Me and Jo started on the beginner and Sarah was suppose to be filming us doing it on my phone but it turns out she didn't press record! Would have had the best you've been framed footage I was falling everywhere! She was just taking photos! The beginner was really hard but I did manage to get to the 3rd monkey bar before I fell off. But couldn't manage the rest it was hard.

We went onto the intermediate - the monkey bars were easier as they were swinging where as on the beginner they were like ladders just ran along the top. The bars are all really high up. I could just about jump up the reach them but it was a really high drop. Just think I was going to twist my ankle when I fell. I thought it would've been a foam pit you fell into which would've have cushioned your fall. I just manage to get to the 3rd bar but no one caught it on video!

We thought you had to try and step onto each one - they were really far apart but it's turns out you sit on the high ones..!

We should have watched the videos on their Instagram before we went cos then we would've actually known how to do the different obstacles! 

Tarzan couldn't gracefully reach the net sadly.

Not making excuses but you got the shortest run up on the walls! I managed to grab the top but couldn't pull myself up! But Jo did cos she's a machine!

It was so hard like it was a proper work out I was sweating and come off aching like I'd done a full session. It was so fun! Definitely better than doing tough mudder at least I come out clean and dry after it - might have been sweating but I can deal with that. We took so many videos and boomerangs which you can see my on my Instagram highlights here. Didn't stop laughing all the way through it. It was an hour but it felt like we'd been in the gym for hours! Was knackered after it.

After we got changed and went to the Trafford Centre. We had a walk around then me and Jo got a Maccies ice cream.

We went for food at Pesto's - Italian tapas.

I got Ali di pollo al forno - Chicken wings Tuscan-style, marinated then baked in the oven

Verdure al forno - Fresh colourful seasonal vegetables, lightly seasoned and simply roasted in the oven

Farfalle al salmone affumicato e asparagi - Farfalle pasta with smoked salmon, asparagus, garlic in a white wine and double cream sauce

Jo got - Polenta fritta al parmigiano e rosemarino - polenta chips made with rosemary, Gran Moravia cheese

Polpette di manzo - Spicy meatballs in a tomato garlic and herb sauce

Fettuccine alla carbonara

Sarah also got the Polenta chips

Insalata Caprese - Buffalo mozzarella and ripe tomato, drizzled with olive oil, balsamic and fresh basil dressing

Spiedini di pollo - Skewer of marinated chicken breast wrapped in fine cured ham, sealed and baked in the oven

My chicken wings were spicy which I was expecting which made all my food taste weird. I didn't think the pasta was that good I've had better. There used to be a Pesto in Liverpool One but it's closed down - think it might be Wagamama there now instead.

Jo wanted something sweet for dessert so we ended up getting another ice cream...

It was a fat day but we earned it!

Thanks for the birthday present Sarah I loved it! It was so much fun and spent the whole day crying laughing even though we didn't properly complete it all!

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