There are a multitude of Italian restaurant in London. From well-loved chains to high end bespoke places perfect for an intimate night. Bocconcino labels itself as “Mayfair’s finest Italian restaurant”, so time to put it to the test. Was it any good? Time to find out…
Ideal for:
Traditional rustic Italian dishes
Large groups at short notice
Date night
Ambience & Décor
The interior of the restaurant is a big selling point. Upon entering, the cavernous feel hits you as you enter from the top floor. The décor is really beautiful. Whether it be their architecture, their cars or their paintings, the Italians do craftmanship very well. The classy interior is very fitting for the area with the glass, chrome and light Italian leather. Seated at a smaller seating area at the rear, this was more Italian rustic with the centre showpiece a beautiful blossom tree; making it perfect for dates.
Bocconcino has a split personality. The bar and smaller restaurant area at the basement level was full of raucous vibes that travelled through the vast expanse. The area we were at the rear was a far quieter and more intimate; the thick walls blocking out all noise. This makes Bocconcino perfect for all occasions.
Service
The service was nondescript; the waiting staff were friendly and attentive when required, but nothing of note.
Food
Burrata is one of my favourite cheeses, so it was a no-brainer to pick the Burratina D’Andria Con Pomodori Pesto (left). This is Andria Burrata with tomatoes and pesto. The cheese was beautiful creamy and fresh; the tomatoes giving the acidity and a bit of sweetness; finished off with the earthy and nutty pesto. All in all, it was a really well crafted dish.
Tagliatelle is another favourite, so decided to go for the Tagliatelle Al Ragu Di Cinghiale (right). This is tagliatelle with wild boar ragu. Boar is a difficult meat to get perfect. Add to that, the wet ragu sauce can make the boar gloopy. Overall, the dish was nice but I wanted more boar, and more heat. The ragu sauce was rich, and needed cheese or chilli heat to give some additional depth for me. The pasta itself was well cooked.
Bocconcino is a really classy affair and perfect for impressing people. However, I feel the food is quite pricey for the portion size (drawback of dining in an affluent area) and overall the food needed some wow factor. Would happily return and try some of their ossobuco or black truffle dishes. Given the overall dining experience, I think Bocconcino gets a solid B- rating.
Photos of Bocconcino and more can be found on Instagram here.
Final grade: B-
Final comment: Good Italian place, but is it Mayfair’s best? I certainly hope not!
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