Piccola Cucina restaurant review
Words: Tara Ghazanfar
This epitomises what I truly love about Notting Hill, it does not feel quintessentially British, but much more of a cosmopolitan suburb where so many different cultures come together to share food and gastronomy tips. Last night I experienced the Piccola Cucina (“small kitchen”). Welcome to Italy, sorry, to Sicily. Here is our Piccola Cucina restaurant review.
THE CUISINE
Sicilian
THE ATMOSPHERE
As a traditional Italian family restaurant, the atmosphere was warm, elegant and serene. There is no need to shout to be heard here and it is most certainly a place to share your thoughts with your significant other. After a few minutes you instantly forget that you are in London, with the Italian flowing around you and the uniquely European flavours filling the air.
THE FOOD
Although you’d hope that this would always be the very best part of your experience, this isn’t always the case. Yet we challenge you to try all of the alternative Italian restaurants in the area (with more than five in the same street just parallel), you will be happily surprised and amazed by the menu. Following the rules of the antipasti, primi, secondi, formaggi and dolci, the chef plays with traditional and innovative ingredients and cooking techniques.
Our main discovery was the red prawn carpaccio topped with fresh flowers it was perfectly balanced and melted in the mouth. The blue fin tuna covered with a decadent pistachio crust, served with beet chips, was utterly delicious, however it was slightly overcooked – this fish can teeter on dry. We could not have stepped out of Sicily’s doors without having tried a pasta dish. And fortunately we did, as the pappardelle with porcini mushrooms was succulent harking back to fond memories and unforgettable culinary experiences in Tuscany. Arguably the ‘Tiramisu Test’ is always a good way to confirm your thoughts on an Italian and in this case Piccola Cucina succeeded once again, the mascarpone was perfectly fresh and deep in flavour.
THE DRINKS
Feeling confident now, we followed recommendations from the knowledgeable Maître d’ and went for a white dry – fresh and slightly fruity – wine from Gavi (from the Piedmont region). The suggestion was flawless, managing to complement rather than overpower the light and delicate tastes of each dish.
THE DAMAGE
Piccola Cucina is definitely a solid choice to frequent for fine and tasty dishes and although it justifies the expensive prices it will most certainly not become a regular Sunday spot, more of a special occasion location.
THE CONCLUSION
For Notting Hill it is refreshing to see not another ‘Italian Restaurant’ but a refined Sicilian spot. It brings unique tastes and a delicate atmosphere, which is refreshing. As much as we hate to admit, we should have stayed quiet about this little spot as you’ll need to make booking well in advance, such is its popularity.
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