Enoteca Super Tuscan

Time Out says

Thu Feb 16 2012

Super Tuscans used to be the awkward squad of Italian wines. More controversial than a loose-talking Fabio Capello, they broke the wine-making rules. They used the ‘wrong’ grapes, the ‘wrong’ methods, they were unclassifiable. And although they scored a few own goals, by challenging conventions the Super Tuscans eventually dragged their governing body – the Italian DOC wine classification system – into the modern age.

Enoteca Super Tuscan, in contrast, seems very conventional. It’s an ordinary looking little wine bar on the edge of the City, tucked away in a Dickensian alleyway near Liverpool Street station. The wine list is brief, the simple menu affordably priced. City folk use it as a place to unwind.

The wine list is perhaps too brief to call itself a true ‘enoteca’ (wine cellar) – only fielding four reds and five whites by the glass is like trying to get into the Premier League with only nine players. But the all-Italian list is a decent selection, mixing centre-forwards with midfielders and centre-backs.

Best among the several dishes we tried were the panelle – small deep-fried discs of chick pea flour, with soft centres, a perfect bar snack to go with wine. The Tuscan bean soup was also excellent, in this version layered over a base of cool ricotta, topped with an Italian chicory (cicoria) but with a slight fennel tang. Even the dishes we called in from the subs bench were on perfect form, such as the melanzane alla Parmigiana (baked aubergine layers with mozarella, tomatoes and basil), soft and pleasingly sweet.

The cooking here would make any Italian nonna proud. A bit more choice by the glass, and a bit more space – it’s very tight-packed – and this would be a destination wine bar. Bookings are not taken, so arrive early.