Last week I found myself again at another Italian restaurant.
Booking a lazy (ish) lunch with a friend, I took the opportunity to leave campus (and the students) behind and head a little closer to civilisation and Pizza Express off Peter Street. Just about the limit of my lunch time commute from the office (OK, maybe a bit beyond it, but I had put a little extra time in that week).
My hopes for a quiet lunch were dashed swiftly. Half term was in it’s last few days and happy children munching on pizza and ice cream sat at the majority of tables, with somewhat frazzled parents. Only one cure for that.
Much better. A glass of Chardonnay helps the noise levels go down.
As my date and I settled in with some olives to keep our grumbling tummies happy, we eyed the menu – the seasonal options were a must, but even more exciting were the 65s – a range of customer favourites, given a little makeover for 2015.
Decisions made, we dove into starter, firstly with the calamari rings. Lightly breadcrumbed with a Çaesar dressing, lemon and fresh parsley.
I’m the first to admit, I didn’t have great hopes for these. I expected chewy, rubbery calamari and a half hearted mayonnaise based dip. I was very pleasantly surprised – soft, tender rings that didn’t have that overly processed ‘fishy’ edge to them, and the caesar had a good amount of bite. Really very good.
The Risotto Mio too was well done. Chestnut and cup mushrooms, with white wine, parsley, garlic oil and pine kernels, and Gran Milano cheese, lightly drizzled with truffle oil, it was a good earthy, creamy mouthful that wasn’t so generous as to overfill you before your main, and with lots of flavour to keep your taste buds happy. It also went rather well with the Chardonnay.
Onto mains and from the 65s menu there was one that called to me.
The Neopolitana. Anchovies, capers, chopped olives, tomato and garlic oil, finished off with torn buffalo mozzarella and fresh parsley. One of my favourite Italian dishes, especially when I need a pick me up, is puttanesca – olives, garlic, chilli, capers, anchovies and tomatoes. This is so close to it in pizza form, it’s a cacophony of flavours – sharp, salty, creamy, sweet, all in one mouthful. Or several as this was a Romana pizza and I intended to eat it all.
My date had opted for the Autunno – a winner from Pizza Express’ Create Your New Favourite competition. Chorizo, goat’s cheese and roasted butternut squash mingled with spinach, garlic oil, chilli flakes, tomato and mozzarella, before being drizzled with chilli oil sprinkled with fresh parsley. It was what you want autumn to be – warm, comforting, soft – the chilli and chorizo brought out the sweetness of the squash.
Soon it was time for dessert. The office was calling my name and relaxed though lunch had been, a long meeting needed my attention.
Rather than opt for a heavy, weighty dessert, we decided to share something a bit lighter and an espresso was also on the cards. A sugar and caffeine hit before I headed back.
The Dolcetti it was and, their brand new salted caramel profiteroles.
Pretty aren’t they?
Chilled, coated in salted caramel and filled with a salted caramel cream.
No they’re not as good as they look. They’re better.
The chap looking after us had even taken pity on us (there was a little mix up with our side order), and provided us with four to share instead of three. Though I’m not sure how much of it was to apologise, and how much of it was to avoid the bloodshed that would have occurred when my date and I fought over the last one.
My money is on the latter.
This lunchtime laziness supplied for free by Pizza Express. As ever, this doesn’t guarantee a positive review (if anything, I tend to be a harsher critic). In this case the experience was (despite half term) a lovely lunch and with a couple of surprisingly good dishes.
Also, I may need more profiteroles.