Tom’s expectations are confounded by the delights he finds at a new Italian arrival
‘Tissue-paper thin’ slices of silken San Daniele prosciutto served with fried two-cheese ravioli
‘New Italian restaurant opens in Notting Hill.’ Seven words guaranteed to fill me with dyspeptic gloom. It’s because this town doesn’t need another bland, expensive Italian restaurant. Every other week they seem to pop up, full of hope like autumn leaves after porcini. Doomed to die in a sea of mediocre parmigiana, limp pasta and Kevlar coated calamari. Only Assaggi managed to surpass the middling morass until now.
Brasseria looks great. It’s a spacious, open-plan living room with plenty of space and good sound quality. In the day (and it’s open from dawn until dusk, no mean feat in a time of chronic staff shortages) the place is flooded with natural light, while at night, things get a little softer, sultry and more subdued.
Roberto Veneruzzo is the man in charge of the house’s front. He was previously of Locanda Locatelli and one of Italy’s finest. His immaculately dressed presence is a sign they’re taking things seriously. I’ve now been twice, and the food is reliably good, with a menu that flits all over Italy. There is no monogamy in this area, but there are classic crowd pleasers as well as greatest hits that will satisfy every taste and whim.
OK, so I could do without the guff on the menu about ‘our now famous’ chopped chicken Milanese. Where is it famous? While the entry for their Classica pizza asks the question, ‘Tomato and fresh buffalo mozzarella, what more does one need?’ Less chummily cloying chitchat, for a start.
Brasseria, despite this fact, is something I love very much. The silken, softly piggy prosciutto is cut tissue-thin and served with a Pecorino and scamorza ravioli of fried cheese. I love fried cheese. Calamari is a wonderful, soft, and deliciously crispy vegetable that’s coated in a crunchy, oil-free batter.
The old-fashioned Italian-American meatballs have a beefy bounce and are full of buxom. Bucatini cacio and pepe are a fiery dish with peppery honks and ovine flavor. They cook the pasta properly too, so there’s still bite.
The service is professional and friendly, and dogs are very welcome. I’m sure you could linger here too, a long lunch turning into an early dinner. This is early, and there’s still the Christmas rush. Whisper it quietly, though, but Notting Hill might just have a new Italian that’s well worth shouting about.
About £35 per head. Brasseria, 290 Westbourne Grove, London W11; brasserianottinghill.com
DRINKS Olly celebrating the return of sherry
It was my greatest accomplishment in life to be able to mix the Tio Pepe Palmas collection with Antonio Flores. I’ve always loved sherry for its heritage and range of flavours. These fortified wines from southern Spain are back on UK shelves like never before, with every flavour from sweet Pedro Ximenez to dry Manzanilla (wine’s answer to a martini).
WINE OF THE WEEK Tesco Finest Cream Sherry NV (18%), £6. Cracking value! This liquid mince pie-like delight is chilled and tastes great!
Morrisons Fino (15%), £5.25. Britain’s best-value Fino – incredible when served cold and paired with green olives.
Taste the Difference very Sweet Pedro Ximenez (18%), £8, Sainsbury’s. This is sweeter than Christmas pudding but just as delicious. As a luxurious treat, serve cool.
Solear Manzanilla 2020 (15%), £10.99, Waitrose. This is pure power, with an ocean-like saltiness. Enjoy it.
Tio Pepe Una Palma (15.5%), £12.95, thewine society.com. You can enjoy sherry in a variety of ways, including savory or refreshing. Serve it chilled with some nibbles.