All that hype and hoopla, but this is simply Ladro's mark II but in a bigger space and offering chic surroundings and service that are child friendly! A big plus for many including our intrepid fellow gourmands both with young children of their own.
As we were the first to arrive, we were served a bowl of lupini to whet the appetite. Curiously moreish, we bypassed the delicate practice of removing the skin of this attractively yellow pulse and ate the little morsels in one go.
We're a hard table to serve, loud, garrulous, focused on everything but the task at hand, but if you are patient, we know how to coax the best out of any given menu. Leaving MdM to choose the wine (he always comes up trumps), he opted for a drop from his father's hometown - Lamia Primitivo from Puglia. And it was the best red I have tasted in ages. Take the nicest of communion wines and ferment the shit out of it and you will have this cheeky grape.
We decided to order a few smalls and share 3 Pizzas (thin crust like the best of them, and large ... be warned).
We started with the special of Fried Zucchinni Flowers and the Arrancini.
The Flowers were tender and had just the right amount of crunch and they were not overpowered by the cheese filling. The Arrancini were heaven. Someone made proper creamy risotto and then made these crunchy succulent balls of delight. An absolute must as a starter when you go.
This was followed by a plate of Battered Beetroot. I don't touch the stuff, but my fellow diners waxed poetic.
Then came the pizzas.
We ordered a Maguerita, ostensibly for the kids, but they took their kids portion and we wolfed down the rest.
We also had the Badabing (and badaboom ... snap!) - pork sausage, probolone, oregano & chilli - mainly I think because MN is on some kind of pork fennel sausage trip, but this was scrumptious. The Pork sausage was just the right balance of flavours, not overly salty or fatty ... perfect. The tomato sauce used for the base is Supermaxi's secret weapon. There must be crack in it somewhere because it is trully addictive.
But that is not to discount the Bianchis! Our choice for a white based pizza was the Strada Nova (gorgonzola dolce, pancetta, mozarella & basil). Perhaps a little stingy on the basil, but the gorgonzola ... mate ... what can I say. We loved it so much, we ordered another one to see the night out with.
If you can get in (they do the whole 2 seating bullcrap - I wish they would stop), its well worth a visit.
PS - there's always room for sweets ... thanks Jax!
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