Our first night in London was to be celebrated with one of my all time besties, Kath and her Italian husband Fiorenzo at Notting Hill’s Mediterraneo.

The corner restaurant was packed on a Thursday night. The interior is like a house with rooms and we were sitting what I would expect to be a lounge or sitting room. The waiters are nearly all Italian and dress as the waiters in Italy dress – smartly with crisp white shirts and black vests.

For starter, I chose tuna tartare that tasted delicious and fresh.

Tuna tartare

Zorba of course had to choose the buffalo mozzarella with tomato and prosciutto and he loved that also.

Kath and Fiorenzo both had beef carpaccio with rocket and parmesan which was eaten with oohs-and-aaahs.

Capaccio with rocket and parmesan

For my main course I couldn’t decide what to have. So I ended up going with spaghetti alle vongole (with clams). It was good, but I have to say, it was not ‘oh my god amazingly delicious’. I’m getting picky I think! I ate most of it and Zorba finished it off. It was one of the few times that I’ve had food envy at a restaurant – I normally choose really well!

Zorba had fresh pasta with mushrooms and bacon. The pasta was silky, the sauce was hearty and beautiful.

Pumpkin ravioli with sage butter sauce

The ravioli with pumpkin and butter sage sauce that Kath ordered was sensational and slightly sweet thanks to the pumpkin. I had meal envy for sure!

I think the winning dish of our night was Fiorenzo’s veal with truffle mash.

The first bottle of wine, an Italian primitivo from Puglia was lovely drinking. It needed several minutes to breathe as it was a bit sharp initially. Once it opened up, it was lovely.

Veal with truffle mash

The second bottle of wine was not so pleasant, sharp and high tannin. Fiorenzo was disappointed that such a wine would even be stocked at Mediterraneo – he has eaten there many times. As a fussy Italian foodie, he is very particular with where he eats. Fiorenzo said that in the past, any bottle of wine chosen from Mediterraneo’s list was great. It was not the case for us, which was really the only flaw in a great night.

Thank you Kath and Fiorenzo for taking us to a fabulous Italian restaurant.

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FACT FILE

Mediterraneo
37 Kensington Park Rd
Notting Hill, London W11
Tel: +44 20 7792 3131
http://www.mediterraneo-restaurant.co.uk/