Who else is counting down the minutes until we can dine out again this week? While we still won’t be able to feast with friends just yet, but as long as we stick to our household - or bubble - there’s plenty of lost time to make up for when it comes to supporting London’s restaurants in the run up to Christmas.
Just before the last lockdown I had the pleasure of visiting new Chelsea fine dining restaurant L’Artigiano. Due to open in March, it was delayed until July and eventually opened with with reduced covers to allow for social distancing. Head Chef Ignacio Ruggiero offers an inventive menu inspired by classic Italian ingredients and flavours, but with plenty of contemporary twists, using the best quality local ingredients and accompanied with a sensational wine list of 160 bottles from every corner of Italy.
This quaint dining room is perfect for an intimate meal, with its skylight flooding the room with natural light. I can only imagine it looking beautiful come evening with its twinkling lights; alas, we visited for a Sunday lunch but it was no less lovely.
Thankfully, the chef selected some favourite dishes for us to try, beginning with an octopus ceviche with a tangy lime mayo and squid ink cracker. Starters included a delicate veal sashimi with an olive crust, an interesting combination but one that was packed with punchy flavour and a lovely juxtaposition between the veal and olive. The Insalate di Mare was sensational, with a crowning glory of a mojito jelly with a punchy citrus kick, contrasted with a dose of salty samphire.
The next course we tried a homemade seven grain pasta stuffed with Neapolitan ragu and served with chicken jus, crispy pork belly and sausage. Almost too beautiful to eat but I’m glad I did; somehow a dish of perfectly heart comfy food without being too heavy. The chicken was divine, a dish of honey chicken roll, gruyere cheese, crispy chicken skin and a disc of honey jelly. It needed nothing else.
As if we weren’t already indulged enough two desserts arrived, an indulgent caramel pannacotta with chocolate crumble, plum compote and salted caramel and a rather fabulous deconstructed tiramisu; the kind of dish that sounds like it should be too big for its boots, but it was rather lovely.
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t the place for a casual every day dinner, but it’s London fine dining at its best. An inventive and interesting menu, full of great flavours and accompanied by some fantastic wines. If you’re looking for a special supper in the run up to Christmas, L’Artigiano could be the one.