Polpo - Restaurant Review

Cuisine:  Italian / Tapas

Cost: 

Rating: 

Where?:  41, Beak Street, Soho, London. W1F 9SB.

Closest station(s):  Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road.   

Telephone: 0207 734 4479

Website: www.polpo.co.uk     

I apologise for adding tapas to cuisine type above as Polpo is not a tapas restaurant; it is the Italian equivalent, namely a bacaro. Polpo has received a huge amount of media attention and on this occasion it is certainly well deserved. Everything about the restaurant seems to have been done to minimise stress and allow you to have a relaxed and enjoyable evening.  

The menu offers a selection of small dishes, ideal for sharing. This includes a selection of cicheti - tiny plates of food starting from £1.00 (I am surprised to see you can get anything in London for that price these days). Small plates at low prices allows you to have a wide array of food to graze on whilst there.

The food has been excellent each time I have been; on the last occasion I went the highlights were the mackerel tartare, the fritto misto, the polpette and a duck ragu that was bewilderingly unctuous and packed with flavour. At around £5 a plate for the larger plates it is very reasonably priced – the house wine at £18 is extremely quaffable.

Polpo only allows you to book tables for lunch. I am in two minds as to whether the lack of evening booking is a good thing or not; it is great for those occasions that you are in Soho and want a lively atmosphere and great food but haven’t booked – the great shame is that it is so popular you can often find yourself waiting for half an hour or more for a table; during which time it is very easy to get carried away at the bar.

Overall I have great affection for Polpo; the staff are friendly, you get to try lots of delicious morsels, the cooking is excellent and it has a lively buzz throughout the day and evening. 

Franco Manca - Restaurant Review

Cuisine:  Italian

Cost:

Rating:

Where?:  Unit 4, Market Row, Brixton, London. SW9 8LD.

Closest station(s): Brixton, Clapham North.     

Telephone: 0207 738 3021

Website: www.francomanca.co.uk     

So, where is London’s best pizza served? An answer to this question that I had repeatedly heard was Franco Manca. When I enquired where I could find this great restaurant I was surprised to discover that it was nestled in the heart of Brixton Market; certainly not where I would not have expected to find the capital’s more prestigious Italian restaurant.

I found myself meandering through Brixton Market in search of Franco Manca. On arrival its celebrity was clear – it was packed; with a queue about fifteen deep. The restaurant is split across two sides of a thoroughfare in the market itself. The tables are small and tightly packed - creating a buzzing atmosphere.

Having been seated we were given the menu. I have never warmed to a menu so swiftly before. There are six pizzas to choose from (ranging from £4.50 - £7); two types of red wine and two types of white – that is pretty much it.

Having ordered it was not long before large, beautifully blister wood fired pizzas came to the table – a light tomato sauce and a generous sprinkling of toppings simply highlighted the beauty of the stunning dough.

This is not a restaurant where you are encouraged to while away hours; the food is however excellent and the prices stunning. One thing that is clear is that you need Franco Manca more than it needs you – evidenced by the fact that it does not open in the evenings and is closed Sundays. It also does not allow reservations. A great place to eat and I can honestly say I have never had better pizza in the UK.