Cuisine: Italian
★ ★ ★ ★
Food ordered [03/17/12]:
- formaggio (cheese platter) £4.95
- salsiccia romagnola (spicy sausage risotto) £9.95
- torta di carote (carrot cake) £4.15
This was my first time dining here and I ate with a girlfriend. Neither of us had heard of the restaurant but its right off of Oxford Street not two minutes from the Bond Street Station and had a very cute storefront.
The restaurant was not busy for a Saturday night so we were seated right away in a large booth. The majority of the restaurant is taken up by plush, elevated booths which can easily seat four although there are several tables for two near the front of the restaurant. The restaurant had a casual vibe and seemed as good for a cup of coffee or dessert as a full meal.
Our server, as well as the manager, were cheerful and friendly. Several times throughout the meal, our server came back to check on our meal. As well, with each course, our plates and silverware were replaced which is a detail I feel far too many restaurants forget.
All of that aside, the food was very much the highlight of the experience for me (as it should be) and was better than I expected. On a general note, the dishes are well-portioned with enough food to feel as though you’ve had a meal but not too much food. As well, the dishes appeared prepared with thought and quality ingredients. Their website emphasizes the importance of the provenance of their ingredients to them and I believe it is a promise they fulfill. The cheese platter was delicately balanced, the risotto fluffy but savoury, and the carrot cake sweet and dense.
Although on the expensive side for a casual Italian meal, I felt the quality of the food we were served was a cut above and deserved the price.
Cheese platter.
Spicy sausage risotto.
Carrot Cake.
Photographs: Me
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