Sartoria, England by Bureaucrat

For dinner one night, we went to Sartoria.


An Italian restaurant that specialises in regional Italian cuisine, located on Saville Row.


From the outside, Sartoria presents an enticing evening. The big windows allow you to have a glimpse of the thick white cotton napery, dark wooden detailing, luxurious couches and ambient lighting. And of course, the place was decorated with fancy suits in the display windows or used as artwork on the walls.


For entrees, I went for the mixed leaves salad with pear and gorgonzola. Normally I'm not keen on blue cheese, but this was pleasantly piquant, savoury and creamy. The pear was nicely ripe - without being under ripe or over ripe. A good balance of textures and flavours.


The Lawyer had the quail with quince and chicory to start with. Tiny but plump thighs. The Lawyer quite liked the quail and savoured the juicy morsel.


For mains, I went with the roast lamb with herb crust and greens. Two plump lamb chops. My only negative comment is that the waiter didn't ask how I liked the meat to be served (and I forgot to ask). The lamb was served medium, but I prefer my meats to be a bit closer to well done. The greens appeared to be some broccoli-type veg, which I think was a bit overcooked.


The Lawyer ordered the seafood with fregola (a type of small, round pasta). Rich bouillabaise type broth and a fairly decent amount of fresh seafood - mussels, fish, squid. I forgot to add that from the moment we sat down, the waiters kept offering your a range of freshly baked breads - this was very handy for this dish. Otherwise, I think the Lawyer would have still been hungry.


Onwards to the desserts. I absolutely savoured the vanilla pannacotta with stewed fruits. The pannacotta was utterly smooth and wobbly, and packed with vanilla seeds. While the fruits (pear, pineapple and orange) were gently poached in cardamon syrup.


The Lawyer ordered the Holy Grail of desserts (well, at least to us). Both of us are big fans of cannoli. Despite being in London, and so close to Italy, we haven't been able to find cannoli being sold anywhere...(where are the Continental bakeries in London?!). Gorgeous, crispy pastry filled with a soft cheese mixture and candied fruits. Divine!


Upon settling our bill, we got some complimentary sweets - candied orange peel (sweet, orangey and soft) and these delightful soft and chewy almond biscuits. If we weren't so full, we would have ordered coffee to go with these.

Overall
Delicious food, comfy surroundings and friendly staff - two thumbs up from us. I especially liked the fact that Sartoria prepared regional dishes - so none of the boring/typical risottos, pizzas etc that you get elsewhere. Plus we also got a foodie suggestion from one our waiters - a Sicillian deli in South Wimbledon...it's on our "to do" list to check out.

Address
Sartoria
20 Savile Row
Mayfair W1S 2
Telephone: 020 7534 7000