Michelin dining is reserved for those special moments – this time it was my birthday! Locanda is one of London’s finest Italian restaurant, so was it any good? Time to find out…
Ideal for:
Italian food lovers looking for something out of the ordinary
A romantic, intimate dinner for that special someone
A blowout dinner straight after pay day
Ambience & Décor
Once you entered Locanda you knew it was a fine dining establishment. Dimmed, mood lighting created that romantic ambience and I immediately noted the minimalist décor akin to such classy restaurants. I loved the colour contrast of the white ceiling and mahogany floors along with the classy tan leathered seats. There was a standalone, rosewood-coloured floor-to-ceiling wooden piece that was very eye-catching but it was the 2 large concave mirror boutique pieces on the back wall that was the piece de resistance. The décor and ambience was perfect for my taste.
Service
The service was good. The waiter paid us due attention but was not invasive. Michelin-starred restaurants tend to get the cream of the crop but this service was not diamond standard, as I felt the staff lacked personality.
Food
The starter was Mondeghini di verza e riso al salto (see right).This was pork sausage, savoy cabbage, butter foam and saffron rice. The starter was sublime. The sausage and saffron rice was condensed in a neat ball and wrapped in the savoy cabbage with cabbage crisps and ample butter foam. The aromatic well-cooked saffron rice was tempered beautifully by the rustic, earthy, savoury sausage. Wrapped in cabbage, it added some finesse to the texture. The crisps gave an added crunch that was otherwise missing, and the butter foam was delicious, smooth and added some decadence to the meal. It all came together so perfectly.
For mains, the Tagliata di manzo, cavolo nero, pancetta, Pastinaca was Chargrilled rib-eye steak, black cabbage, cured pork belly and parsnips (see left). Some steak pieces were slightly past medium rare but the pork belly was delicious. The bitterness and earthy tones from the cavolo nero complemented the sweetness from the parsnip puree at the base of the dish. Once again all the textures were spot on from the rustic meat pieces to the softer cavolo nero and the smooth puree. Cracking main but if you do not like rich food, this may not be for you.
For dessert, I wanted to get something on the savoury side to counteract the richer main. I opted for the Parmesan cheese panna cotta, pomegranate, grissini crumble, aged balsamic vinegar, pomegranate sorbet (see right). The eclectic yet weird set of ingredients were an imperious combination. The aromatic panna cotta had the hard hitting flavours of cheese that was softened by the tangy sorbet and the sweet balsamic. The crumble added yet more texture and flavour to the dish that was already brimming with both. I felt that aesthetically, more could have been done but what it lacked in looks it made up everywhere else. Would recommend this dessert.
The absence of a traditional pizza or pasta in sight on the menu signifies Locanda’s eclectic Italian gastronomy. It was a culinary delight that combined traditional Italian ingredients with a quirky modern twist. Whilst I had a great time, my dining companion found the food a little to average for their liking. I feel menu selection was key. Slightly overdone beef and monotonous service coupled with the price meant Locanda misses out on the top ratings. A- rating.
Photos of Locanda Locatelli and more can be found on Instagram here.
Final grade: A-
Final comment: Culinary Italian delight that had a few misses in a collection of hits.
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