Tappino's — Restaurant in Kirklees

Putting together this latest endeavour for Pino Bianco hasn't just been a labour of love - it's been a baptism of fire. Beset by a whole bunch of challenges, the experience would have broken a lesser man. Not Pino.

Out the other side, he has crafted something quite unique for Cleckheaton: not just a restaurant but a different eating experience. Presenting experimental Italian tapas in a hand-crafted environment, this is truly 'not your standard fare' for lovers of prestige food. And it complements the rest of the town perfectly: if you want a fillet steak, you go to Pino's (of course); you want a Chinese, you go to Wok Ever Palace (if that is your fancy - I, for one, have been twice and am not entirely sold); if you fancy Indian, there's always the UK's largest Indian Restaurant, Aakash. These aim to be prestige venues - Tappino's is a top notch alternative, in every stretch of the imagination.

Ask Pino for his recommendations and the dishes come flying out of the kitchen, of varying tastes and textures, all defying one-note description and shifting with each mouthful. All of this is in subtle and warm surroundings which make you feel very much at home.

It's not overly cheap, true - a fair selection of courses will deceive and quickly add up - but, if you fancy treating yourself to something the dictionary definition of 'off the beaten track', Tappino's...

Staff were very pleasant when taking our order, but we found it a bit rude that they spent the rest of the time chatting to each other in their own language; you don't know if they're talking about you or just talking about the weather! All the same, it's not very polite. Food was nice, but nothing special. If you haven't been before it's quite difficult to understand the menu and what exactly you're ordering, and you have no idea of portion size until your food arrives - have you ordered enough, have you ordered too much?? The food is expensive for the amount you get (basically each item is the size of a starter in many other restaurants) and as it all arrives at the time it soon goes cold. A very small pizza is £10, and in reality probably only worth a fiver. It was nice but not worth what's charged; the drinks are expensive too. Ok place if there's a few of you to share the cost, but as it's so expensive I doubt we'll be...

First ever visit after several recommendations.

Booked for Friday 8pm as no earlier availability when we rang on Thursday.

Tactically stuck to drinking water, partly as no beer on tap. The cocktails we saw on other tables did look good.

2 of us (both 24 year old HUNGRY “growing lads”) ordered 8 plates to share.

The best plates we tried were: friend mixed seafood with garlic aioli, Italian meatballs & the “Ricotta Anchovies & Sundried Tomatoes” in a fried dough

Followed by the mixed dessert for 2, also amazing. Tiramisu, pistachio ice cream & another I forget the name. All were tasty.

We ate the perfect amount but I’d probably recommend 5/6 plates

Would recommend going as a group of 4-6 & requesting one of the high tables downstairs.

Didn’t get chance to look upstairs but there’s a terrace open Fri & Sat currently.

£40 each with a tip, we couldn’t have asked for...