THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
I'm always amazed by the opulence of Knightsbridge. Cicchetti fits right in. Like a mini palazzo, it had me longing for Venice.
Decked out in a spectacular array of marble, dark wood, warm, earthy tones and beautiful artwork, it is just stunning. The open front and skylights at the back add light and air and the bar is pure elegance. There is also a splendid private dining room on the lower ground floor, seating 20.
Waiters in abundance are in black suits in classic old school style, but all have that special Italian bonhomie that balances the formality. Service is classy and very attentive.
The cocktail menu is very inviting. A Carlos Collection (£12.50) based on Bombay Sapphire gin and passion fruit was a delightful summer tipple. It came with a shot of Prosecco to cleanse my palate. I adore cleansing my palate with booze before drinking!
Originating in Venice, cicchetti means small plates. The style here is to order 2 or 3 plates per person and share. They arrive in no particular order. In our case, all but one arrived at once and I would have preferred a more leisurely pace.
Tartare of fresh tuna (£13.35) was good quality, flavoured simply with olive oil, French mustard and lemon juice on a bed of chopped wild rocket. Simple and elegant, the peppery kick of rocket worked very well.
A classic burrata with Parma ham (£12) was nicely elevated with shavings of marinated black truffle.
The signature pasta is truffle and pecorino ravioli (£14.25). The pasta was well prepared and the combination of cream, cheese and truffle can't be beat. With 3 ravioli to share, my dinner companion and I eyed each other suspiciously before I quickly cut one in half and offered the serving spoon!
Grilled artichokes with mint sauce (£8.20) were some of the best I've had. There was good bite and they were marinated very lightly, allowing the delicate, sweet taste of artichoke to come through.
Mixed grilled fish (£18.95) came with sea bass, Sicilian prawns, langoustine and scallop. The luxurious assortment was fresh, grilled beautifully and served with nothing more than a wedge of lemon. Nothing more was needed. Sharing is caring, but I wanted the whole plate for myself!
A bottle of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Illuminati (£36.30) was very good. Full-bodied, cherry, tobacco and spice balanced with medium tannins. The wine list is quite extensive, with no vintages listed. This turned out to be a 2019.
Tiramisu (£7.20) is served in a stemmed glass with a shot of Marsala on the side, a very nice combination. The classic dessert was heavy handed with the mascarpone cream and light on the biscuits and coffee.
Dark chocolate bombe (£11.85) was great fun. Vanilla ice cream covered in dark chocolate is doused at the table with hot salted caramel sauce so the whole thing becomes one big, sweet, delicious, gooey mess. I didn't want to share this either! Next time it will be solo mio!
