What they say…
“New in Queen’s Park, Casa Felicia is bringing the flavours, warmth and spirit of Naples to one of London’s most exciting emerging food destinations. Casa Felicia is led by Romain Bourrillon, founder of BO&CO, the hospitality group behind concepts such as Cocotte and Supra, and also partner at Jusu Brothers. Conceived as “a soulful Italian kitchen in the heart of Queen’s Park”, Casa Felicia is designed to feel both welcoming and stylish. By pairing ingredient-led cooking with a convivial neighbourhood atmosphere, the restaurant will appeal to locals, couples, families, and destination diners alike.
Casa Felicia’s kitchen will be led by Chef Francesco Sarvonio, a native of Naples whose cooking is rooted in the traditions of Southern Italy. Francesco has built his reputation across some of London and Europe’s most exciting restaurants, including time at Manteca, as Head Chef at Giacco’s, and residencies at Early June (Paris) and Oranj (London). With his charisma and ingredient-led approach, this Chef is set to become one of London’s most exciting new Italian faces but quickly emerging as a talent to watch in the capital’s dining scene.”
Style
In what was a very quick turnaround from the Cocotte, which stood in this spot only two weeks prior… Casa Felicia is packe,d and it’s a feast for the eyes. Whitewashed walls, distressed mirrors, striped banquette seating, scarlet velvet curtains and a devilishly sexy, colour-drenched private dining nook in the same hue. Cast your eyes over the one-page menu and you’ll quickly realise that the sumptuous decor matches the culinary landscape; fresh fish, small plates and Italian classics reimagined create a sense of occasion with a playful twist.
To eat
With an emphasis on the best that Southern Italian cuisine has to offer, handcrafted pasta made using traditional recipes and the best Italian ingredients in London… there is much to tempt you here.
We begin with several small plates… seabass crudo sourced from Henderson seafood, a deconstructed parmigiana, a salami Napoli – that is testament to the quality of ingredients at play here – and a puntarelle and artichoke salad with pear makes a zingy, fresh accompaniment to the rich salsiccia that arrives with a peppery apple mustard.
We’ve had a lot of small plates, so decide in advance to skip the main course, in lieu of pasta. We choose the ‘alla Nerano’ – a fried courgette dish with a rich Provolone sauce that oozes over oodles of linguine .
We’re really quite full, but our server Gabrielle tells us it would be criminal to leave without tasting the ‘house favourite’ Zeppole – homemade Potato Donuts which arrive lightly dusted in lavender sugar with a small dipping pot of White Chocolate. He’s not wrong. They’re unlike anything we’ve ever tasted before. But Gabrielle isn’t done… and despite our protest, treats us to some roasted chestnuts, served in their shells in a crisp linen napkin… the perfect ending to a decadent evening.
To Drink
We begin with a glass of Prosecco… it always tastes better in Italy, doesn’t it? And tonight, we are not in the pouring rain in NW6, we’re in the sun-drenched streets of Napoli.
To accompany the pasta course, I choose a Sicilian skin contact orange wine. It is perfectly crisp, slightly volcanic and not at all funky. We finish with a Bolognan Montenegro aged amaro – and in true Neapolitan style – they bring the bottle to the table. Which, paired with the chestnuts and the buzz of the evening, feels delightfully festive.
In a Nutshell…
Casa Felicia is a fabulous addition to the burgeoning foodie scene around Salusbury Road. It’s rare indeed to find a restaurant that offers a sense of occasion, paired with truly decadent food at very reasonable prices. I can’t wait to return.
Details
For more details, visit…
79 Salusbury Road, London, NW6 6NH
