Norma Reviews Summary

Menu Variety and Options

Pros:

• "Sicilian food tastes so balanced and fresh - the crab linguine is a must every time we visit."
• "Their seasonal swordfish specials were incredible as well!"
• "Loved the Veal steak, bone in."
• "Tiramisu had my teenage son and nephew craving for more!"
• "Really nice Italian place with fresh seafood and big, indulgent flavours."
• "Crab pasta is definitely worth trying."
• "Fried potatoes with truffle is great, rustichelle pecorino is a bit salty."
• "One of the most beautiful Italian restaurants I’ve ever been to. Delicious cocktails and wine, and the arancini were to die for too."
• "The food was very fresh and well presented."
• "We ordered many dishes to share and each one was better than the last."

Cons:

• "The arancini special and the pumpkin Cavatelli just felt like they lacked something."
• "The pastas were ok. To the brief, though not mind-blowing."
• "I loved the black tagliolini, whereas the ricotta cream of the cannolo tasted average."
• "The gnocchi sauce was super over salted but would have been lovely otherwise."
• "Crab pasta was nice, the octopus leg is not fresh and very soft, I had diarrhea after going back home and feeling really sick after eating that."
• "The Pork Belly was too hard and really tough—we can’t even cut it with our knives!"
• "The food is very special but most of it was quite bland and just wasn't like the original dish."
• "The strozza preti with guanciale and peas was too sweet, pasta alla norma too bland."
• "The aubergine parmigiana was the blandest, driest thing I have ever had in a restaurant."
• "We had to send the fried calamari back as too hard/chewy/old and not edible."

Ambience and Decor

Pros:

• "The service was impeccable as always and the decor of the restaurant is stunning."
• "The restaurant's interior is beautifully decorated."
• "A fabulous trendy Italian. Obsessed with the Japanese electric toilets too which is a fun touch! Ambience and decor of the restaurant tops it off too."
• "The inside is very chic with its fresh seafood on display and lime wash wall."
• "You’re brought through into a beautifully dim-lit romantic paradise."
• "The interior decor of Norma is stunning."
• "The atmosphere was great, very relaxed and the restaurant has a beautiful interior."
• "Beautiful decor, fantastic food and great service; what more could I ask for?"

Cons:

• "We booked for a birthday dinner, but the atmosphere is very noisy."
• "A little noisy in the bit we were in (just a noisy table alongside us), but the atmosphere is really fun."
• "We were on the 1st floor (upstairs) through a gorgeous lit staircase in an intimate setting & sat down next to a window."
• "I was taken for dinner at Norma for my birthday, but the service was rushed and made us feel like we had to leave."
• "The private room upstairs where we dined had some lovely decor."
• "The restaurant is beautiful and a cosy setting, but the food and service left much to be desired."
• "The restaurant itself is well designed, much better than the chain that used to be at this address a few years ago."
• "The decor is nice however the booths are quite cramped."

Service Quality

Pros:

• "Service was quick, efficient and didn't impose."
• "Fantastic food and service was attentive but not intrusive."
• "Bartender was extraordinary and personable."
• "Top class service. Straight away you’re greeted by a friendly staff member and taken to your table."
• "Very nice venue, excellent menu, fast service."
• "The service was very good, especially the staff were attentive, funny and helpful."
• "Excellent Italian food. Lovely relaxed atmosphere with great service."
• "The service was excellent - the server staff were attentive, funny and helpful."

Cons:

• "Service is nice but a bit slow."
• "The worst experience is from the service as they are trying to drive us away."
• "Staff were very rude and made us feel extremely unwelcome when we were nothing but polite and friendly."
• "The food is so expensive for tasteless food and the ambience, it is a disgrace to Italian cuisine."
• "However, service could be improved."
• "Service was at times overly attentive with too many 'how’s the food?' and order of plate arrival was clumsy."
• "The food isn’t that good for the price you pay. Service was poor."
• "Despite lots of good, and some bad reviews, this is one of the worst restaurants I have ever been to."
• "Staff are superb but food has been very hit and miss."
• "Despite the money we were about to spend for a three-course meal, it left a really bad taste in my mouth."