Assaggi (W2)
Assaggi
39 Chepstow Place
London W2 4TS
020 7792 5501
39 Chepstow Place
London W2 4TS
020 7792 5501
Ambience
Cuisine
Cuisine
Service
Value for Money
Value for Money
It was the Finn's birthday and we decided that we wanted to go somewhere special for lunch. We didn't want not any of the usual Top 10 restaurants that regularly come up or the latest 'must-visit' restaurant, so often over-hyped and over-priced.
A five-minute think, a quick check through my own personal book of favourite restaurants and Assaggi in Notting Hill came out clearly ahead of everything else. Now it's not easy getting a table at Assaggi primarily because there are just 11 tables in this Michelin starred establishment, but luck was on my side and I bagged the last table.
It's certainly not the sort of place that you'd expect to be serving some of the finest Italian food in London, given that the entrance is down a side entrance to a Victorian pub. But it's not hard to see why this lovely laid back restaurant is one of London's finest and has become such a firm favourite with foodies and starlets alike.
Like almost every genuinely Italian restaurant anywhere in the world the welcome is warm and friendly and we were shown to our table by a smiling slim handsome man straight out of a Fellini movie (or so the Finn said). The room is simple, relaxing and comfortable with just a massive vase of exquisite fresh flowers almost the only adornment.
There's a good selection of traditional Italian dishes. None are unique or particularly exotic but Head Chef, Nino Sassu, uses only top-quality produce and the finished dishes are amazing. There are no compromises in his kitchen! To add to the atmosphere the menu is written in Italian only and the waiters take great delight in explaining every dish. And with such passion. By the time this theatrical routine has concluded you'll be salivating and trying to remember everything that has been explained to you.
We started with prawns on a bed of pea purée and some truly outstanding gnocchi, followed by turbot for the Finn and sea bass for me. Both were excellent, perfectly cooked, with light sauces that enhanced the flavours. Given that the day was warm we went for fresh berries and home made ice cream for pudding.
It could be argued that Assaggi simply serves familiar Italian dishes very well (fritto misto is evidently the most popular dish) and is not at the cutting edge of modern Italian cuisine, but that would miss the point. Assagi uses the best ingredients, the kitchen prepares every meal with care and ingenuity, the service is faultless and it fully deserves its Michelin rating. However, none of this comes cheap. Count on around £140 for two for lunch including a very decent bottle of Italian wine.
Add another fifteen quid for a couple of glasses of birthday champagne.
It's certainly not the sort of place that you'd expect to be serving some of the finest Italian food in London, given that the entrance is down a side entrance to a Victorian pub. But it's not hard to see why this lovely laid back restaurant is one of London's finest and has become such a firm favourite with foodies and starlets alike.
Like almost every genuinely Italian restaurant anywhere in the world the welcome is warm and friendly and we were shown to our table by a smiling slim handsome man straight out of a Fellini movie (or so the Finn said). The room is simple, relaxing and comfortable with just a massive vase of exquisite fresh flowers almost the only adornment.
There's a good selection of traditional Italian dishes. None are unique or particularly exotic but Head Chef, Nino Sassu, uses only top-quality produce and the finished dishes are amazing. There are no compromises in his kitchen! To add to the atmosphere the menu is written in Italian only and the waiters take great delight in explaining every dish. And with such passion. By the time this theatrical routine has concluded you'll be salivating and trying to remember everything that has been explained to you.
We started with prawns on a bed of pea purée and some truly outstanding gnocchi, followed by turbot for the Finn and sea bass for me. Both were excellent, perfectly cooked, with light sauces that enhanced the flavours. Given that the day was warm we went for fresh berries and home made ice cream for pudding.
It could be argued that Assaggi simply serves familiar Italian dishes very well (fritto misto is evidently the most popular dish) and is not at the cutting edge of modern Italian cuisine, but that would miss the point. Assagi uses the best ingredients, the kitchen prepares every meal with care and ingenuity, the service is faultless and it fully deserves its Michelin rating. However, none of this comes cheap. Count on around £140 for two for lunch including a very decent bottle of Italian wine.
Add another fifteen quid for a couple of glasses of birthday champagne.
Here Is The Writer : Richard Tobias
Richard Tobias brings a much needed dose of good behavior to HITC Life. His extensive career in tourism brought him an OBE in 1998. Richard is an experienced writer, lecturer and broadcaster, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, the Tourism Society and the Institute of Travel & Tourism as well as non-executive chairman of World Media Publishing. His Who's Who entry lists golf, good food and Chelsea Football Club amongst his passions. His favourite dining companion is The Finn, and sometimes her daughter, The Finnette.
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