Friday, July 13, 2007

Locanda Locatelli And The Last Days Of London

Just wanted to put up a few words about the restaurant I'd been dying to go. I'd fallen in love with Giorgio after I first laid eyes on him on the fabulous Tony and Giorgio cooking show. Basically if you're passionate about real Italian cooking then you have me hook line and sinker. And that foppish hair and those eyes...

R got us in for her one and only night in London during our weekend visit, so it was tavolo per cinque, all spruced up. Giorgio greeted us at the reception and I got all shaky and giggly. He looks good. I'm pathetic.

The meal was everything I'd hoped. Good Italian cooking. Unpretentious and reasonably priced. Cute Italian waitstaff. No celebs but what can you do. We saw Jude Law in Paris so that makes up for it.

For my entree I had scoops of goats cheese that was incredibly light and fluffy, drizzled in balsamic reduction and served with baby beetroot and baby onions. My main was orecchiette with crushed peas, guancale and something else. Oh dear I've forgotten. Never mind it was delicious. I was definitely having three courses so dessert was a chocolate and licorice fondant - perfectly runny in the middle - with a scoop of icecream on the side. Two great wines, Chianti and Sangiovese, chosen by the clever wine man himself, Wayne. The girls, bless them, tried to get Giorgio to come out and spend a minute at our table, but he was too busy. It was very sweet of you to try!

We then had some gorgeous martinis at The Purple Bar at the Sanderson. R really is the girl about town. What a fabulous night!

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The sun did come out that weekend so it was delightful to stroll around the Thames (less delightful to push and shove our way through Oxford Street trying to get some last minute bargains. Horrible stuff, but managed to pick up a couple of pieces from COS and TopShop). Went to Borough Markets which were brilliant and had wild boar sausage hot dogs, then went to the scallop man (cute in a seafaring way) for three plump scallops served with crunchy bacon on the shell. Had a delicious curry (right around the corner from you, R, have you tried it?). We hopped on the London Eye for beautiful views and caught up with A again for lunch at Leon and some of my happiest buys - including the most perfect trench from Gap! Finally, a trenchcoat!

We had some great last laughs, and then Monday morning it was time to head home...



7 Comments:

Blogger charlotte said...

Hee, you were so near my flat - I live around the corner from Borough Market! And Locanda Locatelli sounds divine... I think you've given me the shove I need to just go there and stop dreaming about it. Sounds like you had a really great trip - it has been lovely hearing about it.

9:28 pm  
Blogger The Late Bloomer said...

Oh, what a fab end to your trip! Looks like you had the best time, I envy you all that fun -- and all that amazing Italian food! I'm a sucker for that too.

I haven't been back to London in years (*gulp* seriously not since 1995!) so I should make a hop over La Manche one of these days.

Oh, and a new trench at the Gap -- go figure! I've found a couple cute things in there over the last few months, and I'm always surprised.

1:09 am  
Blogger Julia said...

Thank you Lottie - what a great location you have! The markets were fantastic - do you pop in quite regularly? And Locanda is great, I'm always mad for real Italian cooking.

LB - again, a huge shame we couldn't meet up, that part of the trip was too hectic, as was London. I'm the same with Gap, never pop in and only did this time because it was just there so what the hell - came away with three great buys, including the only perfect-fitting trench I've ever tried, and at a great bargain.

7:15 am  
Blogger surfercam said...

I am no cook, but last year I caught a few shows with Giorgio and found him spell bounding to watch.

11:45 am  
Blogger Julia said...

That's so cool Cam - and I just love his heavy Italian-meets-10-years-in-London accent.

12:27 pm  
Blogger Imaginair' said...

Flaneuse is a french world.
Does it mean that you 'll come to Paris too?

12:44 am  
Blogger Hannah said...

You had hot dogs, scallops and curry all before lunch?!!! I am impressed!

11:22 pm  

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