Even London’s greatest admirer would concede that to eat well on a budget you need to pick carefully. That’s not to say that on a budget of £50 for two, you can’t do well. In fact, if you know where to look, you can eat some of the best Indian or Chinese delicacies in town, with change to spare. When it comes to European grub, however – aside from the better pizza and burger operators, and the odd shining café formula such as the growing Leon chain – the choices are pretty thin.
All credit then to the backers of this new Fitzrovia concept – a modernistic bistro-style place, where risotto is the house speciality. The logic of making rice – after all, the staple which sustains about half the planet – the backbone of an inexpensive European menu is so obvious that you wonder why it’s not been done before.
Perhaps risotto has traditionally seemed too foodie for English tastes? Nowadays, though, it features on gastropub menus everywhere. And the mushroom variety we sampled on our visit was a tasty dish with a good consistency, and came in a well-judged portion. There are also non- risotto options (including lamb chops the day we visited). The menu also offers a fair range of starters and puds. You can kick off with a decent (if not huge) plate of Parma ham, bresaola and salami, for example, and finish up with a very enjoyable crumble and custard. And such a three-course meal for one – including a glass of wine and a cup of coffee – can be had for a whisker under £25 (including very pleasant service).
Some reports from people we trust suggest that off-days are not unknown. At these prices, though, mistakes aren’t too hard to forgive.
