A Pizza Hut, a Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut. (Pizza Hut – Bournemouth)

The ‘Hut’

I’ve just been on holiday to Spain, it was lovely, so obviously the first thing on my mind to get done on my return was to get writing and sharing my experiences. What could be more exciting that an entire review about Pizza Hut in Bournemouth? Obviously beaches full of topless women and watching my 18 month old nephew learn to dance pale into insignificance against the culinary delights of the nation’s favourite* eat-in pizza diner.

*probably.

First Impressions

It’s a (relatively small) Pizza Hut.

4/5

Service

Our waiter was a very friendly young man, who was attentive and helpful. He got extra bonus points for allowing us 2 salad bars despite only ordering one (regular) pizza to share. The only let down was when we were waiting for the starter another waitress turned up with someone else’s pizza, but better that than no-one turning up at all.

6/5

(It was going to be a 5/5, but I promised bonus points. Don’t judge.)

Food

My first ever review on here was of an Italian restaurant and it included 2 of my 3 ‘if I was on Come Dine With Me’ dishes. The starter, Brushetta, is a familiar dish in most Italian restaurants and Pizza Hut has gotten in on the act.

Now I will preface this by informing you that I cook the best Brushetta available in England today. It’s not a difficult dish and I am well aware that it’s a pretty big claim to make, but I’m also not big headed, incredibly modest (and good looking) so when I tell you it’s good, it’s good. (At least my mum thinks so…)

Anyway, I can’t stop myself from ordering Bruschetta when it’s on the menu, partly because I love it and partly because I want to see if someone has beaten my own recipe. The picture in the menu looks pretty appetizing, with some toasted bread and chopped cherry tomatoes topped with pesto and some salad leaves. When it came the pesto had been forgotten and the salad leaves had just been dumped on. In the end I was largely eating tomato bread.

Pretty gash and not worth ordering. Although I am willing to accept the person who made it was bored/hung-over/feckless/incompetent and you might have a better experience.

The salad bar does exactly what it says on the tin. I’m not a big fan of peppers and in the absence of labels I have never been entirely sure what the little pot of brown crumbs is all about, but I do likes me a bit of salad.

Then the Pizza. Somehow, Pizza Hut are able to provide pretty nice looking cheesy yummy cheese and tomato pizzas, yet make them have only 170 calories! (Or so the menu says). Now I’m not 100% certain if that’s 170 calories per person or 170 calories per bite, but either way, it’s pretty good pizza. If you’ve ever been to pizza hut before (which is everyone) you know what to expect.

Didn’t order dessert because after all that and a McDonald’s at the airport before leaving Spain I was pretty stuffed. Soft drinks have free re-fills which is always a bonus.

4/5

Price

Well, I didn’t pay, so obviously that’s a total winner (and to be recommended whenever you go to a restaurant). But if memory serves the bill didn’t come to more than about £15 for the two of us. Obviously that was helped by sharing a pizza, but what an absolute bargain meal out.

5/5

Overall

Apart from the one small black mark against Bournemouth Pizza Hut for the pathetic attempt at Brushetta, this was a really good meal out. You don’t expect much when you go somewhere like Pizza Hut; it’s an image thing I guess, but on Friday evening in Bournemouth that place is a surprisingly good choice. Exactly the opposite of my review of Jamie’s Italian back in August of last year in that it’s a prime example of substance over style.

5/5