Tavolino

I was a bit nervous about cycling straight through the city to The Tower of London. 45 minutes and cycle lanes for half the ride. A doddle! Just across the bridge, adjacent to the mayor’s headquarters, I arrived at my culinary reward…and not a bike rack in sight! 15 minutes later, I locked it to a handrail. I don’t think that’s proper bike etiquette, but I was hungry!

Tavolino means little table. They should have called it Vista Fabulosa! The floor to ceiling windows look out on the Thames, Tower, Bridge and the city beyond. It’s magic when the sun sets and London lights up. Perfect for a couple sundowners, or in this case, apericini. Mini cocktails. An Italian take on the Negroni made with grappa (£5.50) and a spiked lemon slushy (£4.50). Maybe not the best value for money, but fun and perfect with parmesan and lardo bombolini (£4.50). Usually a sweet treat, these savoury delights are crispy on the outside and gooey, cheesy on the inside. Deep fried gougère!

Cantaloupe melon salad with Swiss chard

Cantaloupe melon salad with Swiss chard, caper leaves, black olive and pine nuts (£8) was one of the highlights of the meal. Simple, fresh and balanced. And the caper leaves – who knew!? Just as delightful and tasty as the flower buds themselves. Head Chef Louis Korovilas prides himself on sourcing the best ingredients from Italy and the UK. As he should! A protégé of Michelin starred Giorgio Locatelli, he also has the skill set to match.

Crispy panelle (£7) are another deep fried savoury. Made with chickpea flour, they are light as can be, wrapped in cured meat and served with wonderful, whipped anchovy. They disappeared in a flash!

A bottle of Antichi Poderi Jerzu ‘Bantu’ Cannonau (£35.50) was a pleasant Grenache from Sardinia. Smooth and fruity though it fizzles at the finish.

Pancetta and Ricotta “half-moon” ravioli (£13.50) were a treat. The filling light, creamy and flavourful; the zucchini sauce a vibrant green that belied its delicacy.

Pan seared hake (£16.50) though slightly overcooked, was well balanced with spicy nduja and zucchini scapece (pickled with garlic and mint).

For dessert we were delighted with a polenta skillet cake to share (£15.50). It was huge!!! Again, Chef Korovilas showed his flair for lightness. I was dubious about ending such a large meal with polenta, but this was fluffy, piping hot and came with wonderful black cherries and caramelised white chocolate ice cream. What’s not to love?

Our waitress, Hadnet, was a joy from start to finish. From Rome, she was well versed and very passionate about Italian food. Of course, I’ve never met an Italian that wasn’t! Still, her competence was much appreciated and her enthusiasm infectious.

Back outside, I was relieved to see my bike where I’d left it in spite of the curses I had no doubt received from passing pedestrians. Hopefully we will soon see a London with bike racks everywhere. Especially next to restaurants like Tavolino!

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