The Visit

I was recently invited to return to Sam’s Italian Restaurant in Clydebank.

The last time I was there, I had a fantastic meal; I couldn’t fault it in any way. It was really, really good. I added it to my to-return list, but I’m not often in that area, so unfortunately, I haven’t been back.

However, when I received an invitation in my inbox to check them out again, I made sure to free up some space in my calendar and go back to see what it was like now.

One of the things mentioned in tonight’s invitation was their new pasta edible bowl plus a new menu. I was curious about this and knew I had to order it when I arrived. As I mentioned in my previous review, the interior is very nicely decorated, and the service tonight was just as good as it was on my last visit.

Décor	★★★★
Noise Level	★★★★★
Restaurant Temperature	★★★★★
Table Dressing	★★★★
Restaurant Cleanliness	★★★★★
Background Music Level	★★★★★

The Food

ARANCINI £n/a tonight (normally £7.00)
Filled with mozzarella & sweet peppers and tomato chilli dip

One of the dishes I had last time was the arancini. I noticed on the new menu that the filling was slightly different from before, so I knew I had to check them out to see if they were just as good as last time. Previously, they were amazing.

Presentation-wise, upon arrival, they were very nicely done, and the aroma coming off the dish was very nice. The portion size was spot on, especially for a starter. The arancini balls were a good size, and you get three of them, as you can see.

The flavour of these was absolutely amazing again. I thoroughly enjoyed every single bite, both with and without the sauce. They were packed with flavour either way. I could have easily had more of these tonight.

So, if you’re in the area or want to check this place out, this is a great dish to start with, and I highly recommend it.

Dish Flavour	★★★★★
Appearance	★★★★★
Serving Size	★★★★★
Aroma	★★★★★
Value for Money	★★★★★
MY RATING:	★★★★★

Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Originally, I wasn’t going to order a side tonight, but I decided to give it a go. There were two options that sounded good: the garlic bread and the focaccia. I let the waitress surprise me and decide which one to order.

When it arrived, it was the rosemary focaccia, and the aroma was instantly delightful. It looked really nice.

Taking a bite, I found it amazing—perfectly cooked. You could taste the rosemary and the flavour of the bread, with a lovely salty taste as well. It was so, so good. This is another dish I would order again on my return because I really loved the flavour. It was very addictive.

Dish Flavour	★★★★★
Appearance	★★★★★
Serving Size	★★★★★
Aroma	★★★★★
Value for Money	★★★★★
MY RATING:	★★★★★

PENNE SAMS £n/a tonight (normally £14.00) plus edible bowl £4.00
Spicy Italian sausage in a rich tomato sauce with a touch of cream

As I mentioned, the team at Sam’s Italian Restaurant has a new menu, and one of their new options is an edible bowl, which is priced at £4 in addition to the cost of your pasta. Tonight’s tough choice was deciding which pasta dish to order with my edible bowl. I was intrigued by the Penne Sam’s because of the spicy Italian sausage, so that’s what I chose.

When it arrived, I saw that the edible bowl was a nicely sized bread bowl with the pasta in the middle. I really liked the visual presentation. It was very appealing and the portion size was generous. The aroma of the pasta was very inviting.

I decided to start with the edible bowl and tore off a piece. It was freshly made, with a lovely flavour and a fluffy texture—just really nice. Then I tried the pasta, which was perfectly cooked and had a nice little kick to it. The Italian sausage was perfectly cooked and had an amazing flavour. Together, the pasta and the bread bowl made a really good combination. Everything about this dish was really tasty, and I quite liked the whole edible bowl idea.

One thing to mention is that this dish is very filling because of the large amount of bread. If you opt for the edible bowl, you might want to share a starter, skip the starter, or forgo a side dish. Alternatively, come when you’re extremely hungry. For me, it was very filling, but it was extremely tasty, and as I said, I really liked the idea.

Dish Flavour	★★★★★
Appearance	★★★★★
Serving Size	★★★★★
Aroma	★★★★★
Value for Money	★★★★★
MY RATING:	★★★★★

Tiramisu £n/a tonight (normally £7.00)
Italian sponge soaked in coffee liqueur topped with whipped cream

There is always room for dessert, and I wanted to try the tiramisu again this time. I think I had it last time, but I couldn’t quite remember. However, I do remember enjoying everything, so I opted for the tiramisu.

Upon arrival, the presentation was different from last time, as it was now served in a glass. Visually, it looked really nice, and I couldn’t wait to dig in.

This was nice, though I think it could have used a bit more coffee flavour. Don’t get me wrong, it was really, really nice—I’m just being very fussy here; that’s my taste buds.

Everything was very nice: the sponges, the tiramisu, the cream—good flavour all around. For my preference, I think it could have had a bit more coffee flavour, but as I said, I’m just being fussy because I love strong coffee-flavoured tiramisu.

Dish Flavour	★★★★
Appearance	★★★★
Serving Size	★★★★★
Aroma	★★★★★
Value for Money	★★★★★
MY RATING:	★★★★

Final Thoughts…

Firstly, a big thanks to the team at Sam’s Italian Restaurant for my invitation. I promise I won’t wait as long to return. I’ve just had a very busy past few months with everything going on in my life.

The new menu: When I sat down and had a look, there were many dishes I really wanted to order, but I had to narrow it down tonight, so do check it out. Just because it’s a new menu doesn’t mean the flavours have dipped. As you’ve read above, the flavours are still packed and just as good as they were when this place opened, which is a really good sign that this place is going to last a long time.

Check out their new edible bowl. As I said, make sure you’re hungry, or skip a starter or a side. This is a really good idea, and it was extremely tasty but very filling, so do check it out when you visit.

Overall, another fantastic night at Sam’s Italian Restaurant. They remain on my top restaurant list. I can’t fault anything tonight. Everything from the service to the atmosphere to the flavours was spot on.

Service / Staff	★★★★★
Ambience	★★★★★
Time between Courses	★★★★★
MY OVERALL RATING	★★★★★

It’s important to note that all the views and opinions expressed in my blog posts and vlogs are entirely personal, have not been influenced in any way and reflect my individual perspective. I value authenticity and honesty above all, and my content is a genuine reflection of my thoughts and experiences.