Open Mon–Wed midday–3pm; Thu, Fri, Sat and Sun midday–11pm
The Plus One has the appetite and impatience of a boy. He remonstrated all the way to Piccola Cucina: he was famished and he was cold. As soon as we arrived Francesco and his team welcomed us into a chic, understated and intimate space, which immediately soothed Plus One’s frayed nerves. He looked at the dishes at the adjacent table and agreed that even he would be defeated by the size of them (they were positively gargantuan).
Francesco suggested we share a plate of antipasti. We decided on a timbale of tuna tartare sitting pertly on a base of guacamole (£18); another timbale of fresh sea bass with garden vegetables (£18); and the pièce de résistance, a Sicilian langoustine carpaccio with Maldon salt (£18). The tuna tartare was a little bland, but the sea bass was almost translucent, with a lovely firm texture and distinctive flavour. The carpaccio was divine: the pale, glistening pink flesh not only looked beautiful but had that inimitable intense flavour of seafood in Sicily.
Francesco suggested we accompany the antipasti with an organic Sicilian white wine, Carta d’Oro (£30) from the Rallo estate, which was perfect; light, smooth and fruity.
By the second course, we had become firm friends with the knowledgeable and attentive Francesco and put ourselves entirely in his hands. He brought us a perfect bite-size portion of the aubergine caponata (£8; it made one long to have a Sicilian granny in the kitchen making similar creamy, hearty, comforting dishes) and involtini (small rolls) of minced swordfish with toasted orange zest, thyme, fennel and pink peppercorns (£18). The taste was delicate and intriguing.
Again, Francesco was able to suggest a wine that complemented the earthy taste of the aubergine and the spicy, slightly fruity taste of the involtini. Nozze d’Oro (£50) was quite a chalky white wine with notes of rosemary and thyme in it.
We followed all these little mouthfuls of scrumptiousness with a pasta that, according to Plus One, had the appearance of well-fed worms; Busiate con pesce alla lido (£16). It was firm, hand-rolled pasta served with a peppery fresh tuna sauce. Plus One called it ‘Pasta with Bottle’ and loved it. For the main course we chose tuna in a pistachio crust (£20). Perhaps we had been spoilt by all the previous dishes bursting with tantalising flavours, but this dish was a little disappointing: it seemed to lack any defined taste.
We ended the meal with an assortment of desserts and a muscat wine from Pantelleria (£74), which had notes of honey, apricot and orange in it and was a perfect way to finish a heavenly meal.
This restaurant is a serious and very welcome addition to the discerning Notting Hill dining scene. It offers fresh, high quality food with intense, authentic flavours in an elegant yet relaxed atmosphere overseen by a friendly, but never intrusive, staff. I suspect the girls, as well as the boys, will be happy here.
Meal for two with wine £125–£140.
