Sitting on Oxford Road, Big Hands is a den of culture for concertgoers and students alike. The live music, unique interior design, and even amateur poetry that Big Hands offers makes it an interesting venue to say the least.
Big Hands' expansion into the culinary sphere through Rizzo's Sicilian Food now marks the cherry on the cake.
From the outside, a bar featuring artists such as the regular DJ SexGod seems to be in juxtaposition to the imagery of slow Mediterranean life traditional Sicilian food inspires. Anyone who has sampled from the small kitchen, however, knows this could not be further from the truth. Run by brothers Ricardo and Romeo, Rizzo's was previously based in Hatch but moved location after it shut down last year. On their menu is a selection of fresh handmade morsels, easy to eat with one hand while enjoying a pint in the other.
Credit: Alex Wescott @ The Mancunion
Located upstairs in the roof garden, the kitchen is exposed to the elements and any nosy patrons looking to round off their night with a quick bite. Although it may not seem it, sitting on the bare wooden benches under a corrugated plastic roof on the terrace is surprisingly cosy, even while it rains all around.
The simple selection on display includes arancini, slices of pizza, and cannoli, all tempting in their own way. My evening started with a couple of sides, the panelle and cazzilli, maybe unfamiliar to the casual diner but none the less important. Pannelle are chickpea fritters, light, slightly chewy, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. I'm glad to have tasted them first because when I returned to finish a straggler saved for later, it was soggy, cold, and tasted more like a cream cracker drenched in sea water than the excellent dumplings from earlier.
This, unfortunately, was a recurring theme throughout the meal, mainly due to rain water leaking through the flimsy shelter and cold weather. Under such conditions, haste is key, which contradicts the natural impulse to slow down and savour what you're eating but saves good food from ruin. The cazzilli, which are potato croquets, had a crispy batter and not a drop of grease on them, an auspicious omen for the arancini to come. With the sides came homemade mayonnaise, a rich condiment that, while complementing them well, was not necessary as they were good enough to be eaten unassisted.
The first arancino was stuffed with caponata, an ensemble of aubergine, olives, capers, and tomato sauce. The salt from the olives and capers balanced well with the sweet and sour flavours brought by the sauce and despite this busy mix, the aubergine wasn't drowned out. Usually the downfall of arancini is the rice, so I braced myself and took a sip of beer to prepare for dryness, only to find the grains were perfectly cooked, providing a firm and flavourful shell for the filling. Like the batter on the cazzilli, the breadcrumb coating wasn't greasy and held the ball together until the last bite.
Credit: Alex Wescott @ The Mancunion
Moving on, the nduja arancino, containing nduja sausage, mozzarella, and tomato sauce, was another hit. Inside, the cheese and sausage were indistinguishable, creating a warm savoury molten core. It was nice to have something that felt more indulgent, but there was a disappointing lack of heat despite it being supposedly the spiciest item on the menu. Certainly heavier than the caponata, the nduja requires a lager to help wash it down but handily the bar is a just short trip downstairs.
Credit: Alex Wescott @ The Mancunion
Situated at an institution dedicated to individuality and quality, Rizzo's fits right in. Not only is it convenient on a night out but a reason in and of itself to make a visit to Big Hands.
Rizzo's menu can be found here.
Rizzo's Sicilian Food is open at the following times:
Tuesday & Wednesday 4.45pm-10pm, Thursday, Friday & Saturday 4.45pm- end of day.
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