Il Mulino, Stokesley, review: A ‘really excellent meal’
Il Mulino, an Italian restaurant in Stokesley town centre, is festooned with them, strung across the railings at the front beside College Square, while the greenery in the planters is a sea of shining bulbs.
I’ve sampled the wares of Il Mulino a couple of times – once in the depths of Covid lockdown, picking up a takeaway that featured on these pages as we tried to support local hospitality venues as best we could by highlighting their efforts to keep their businesses afloat, and a second time, at a private party in Piccolo, a sister venue tucked away in a courtyard around the corner.
It is a cocktail bar and restaurant specialising in small plates and tapas-style dining. That party was at Christmas 2023, but the memory of the cheesy, garlicky, meaty feast of pure comfort food burns almost as brightly as Il Mulino’s lights. So, 12 months on, it was time for another visit.
My sister Claire and I booked in as a post-work Friday evening treat, and were shown to table in the far corner, away from door draughts and beside a heater. Perfect. Inside, the restaurant is just as twinkly and cheery as outside, and although fellow diners were thin on the ground to begin with, the place soon filled up with families, couples, friends and work groups to give a busy, humming atmosphere.
The bruschetta starter on sourdough at Il Mulino
The evening menu (Il Mulino also does breakfasts and lunch) is packed, as you would expect, with Italian pizza and pasta classics, a couple of sharing boards, a good selection of seafood and chicken dishes, and plenty of sides, olives and sourdough breads.
To start, I chose the sourdough bruschetta (£8) and Claire went for the Arancini (£8.50). With bruschetta, sometimes I find the onion – too liberally applied – can overpower all the other flavours, but this was an absolute delight to eat and beautifully presented. The combination of fresh and sunblush tomatoes was great, with a rich, full flavour throughout. Stacked high, with basil, rocket and mozzarella, it was a full meal in itself, and I knew my main might be a stretch, but the bruschetta was too good to leave.
Claire’s Arancini – stuffed rice balls coated with bread crumbs and deep fried – was another good portion. The sauce added plenty of zing, and the rice was nicely flavoured, but slightly dense, making it a bit heavy for a starter.
Arancini to start – a generous portion
Both in the same boat when it came to our rapidly-waning appetites, our mains swiftly arrived. I had opted for the meatball, pepperoni and bolognese calzone (£16.50), while Claire chose wild mushroom and rocket pizza (£14) with added parma ham (£2 extra).
My calzone had the appearance of a giant Cornish pasty, albeit calzone is made with leavened dough, rather than pastry. The dough, perfectly cooked with a slight shimmer, was, thankfully, really light, leaving me with plenty of space to devour the filling. And devour it I did. The meatballs were plentiful, juicy and well, meaty, with the pepperoni adding a nice bit of heat. The bolognese sauce brought it all together wonderfully.
Calzone at Il Mulino – a challenge readily accepted
Claire’s pizza, on a sourdough base, went down just as well. The wild mushrooms had that lovely, earthy taste, complemented well by the pepperiness of the rocket, and the salty parma ham.
We were too full to consider the dessert menu, although the lemon tart with Italian meringue, raspberry and sorrel sorbet would have been right up my street, so we got the bill – £61.20, which included two soft drinks each. Perhaps on the higher side when compared with some of the other Italian offerings on our high streets, but it felt about right for what was a really excellent meal.
Wild mushroom and rocket pizza with added parma ham at Il Mulino
Service was chatty and smooth, with all the staff seemingly coping well with a full restaurant, but still managing to give that personal touch.
Il Mulino does what it does very well, and in the depths of winter, when nourishment is needed for the body and soul, it’s as good a place as any to find it.
Recommended eating:
Il Mulino
Church House, 30 College Square, Stokesley, TS9 5DN
01642 713391
www.il-mulino.co.uk/
Open Monday to Saturday, 9am to late and 9am to 5pm on Sundays
Ratings (out of ten): Surroundings 9 Food quality 9 Service 9 Value for money 8