TWO top Italian restaurants are taking a leaf out of the bar trade’s book by launching a push the button happy hour – with on-the-spot deals for diners in a North East first.
Scalini’s, at Great North Road, Gosforth and Osborne Road, Jesmond, are celebrating the launch of their new menus by giving customers the chance to receive discounts ranging from 10 per cent off their bill to their entire meal free of charge.
In a similar system to that used in pubs and bars, diners will be invited to push a button which will select one of four offers at random.
The offers apply across the new menu, which is the same at both venues and incorporates starters, main courses, steaks, pizza and pasta dishes, sides, salads and desserts.
Along with introducing new dishes and refining others, Dan Duggan, head chef for Scalini’s, has also lowered prices and introduced a gluten free menu.
“And, of course, customers who choose to push the button will get even bigger savings,” he said.
“In creating the new menu we have really taken Italian food back to its roots, so along with familiar dishes we are also serving traditional recipes, such as slow cooked lemon and rosemary lamb shoulder with courgette, pimento, green beans garlic and parmesan served with gnocchi,” he added.
“The emphasis on Italian flavours and authentic ingredients is now embedded in everything from our side dishes – where mixed greens are drizzled with lemon, for example – to our panna cotta desserts, laced with Amaretto and liqueur-soaked cherries.”
The push the button happy hour – which also applies to drinks bought with meals – at Scalini’s, is available now at both venues and will run between noon and 6pm Monday to Saturday and from 6pm to closing on Sunday.
For further information about Scalini’s at Jesmond and Gosforth, visit www.scalinisrestaurant.co.uk.