Bombetta

Snaresbrook: the next hip east London food destination? It seems unlikely. There’s too much money in this well-heeled area of town for it to go the way of Walthamstow. But Italian-inspired, achingly trendy restaurant Bombetta has just opened here nonetheless. And however quiet the streets are in these parts, this place was full on a Tuesday night. 

Sat at the counter running alongside the kitchen meant that lots of our dishes were served by the chefs themselves, which made for an intimate, almost homely experience. We’d heard the pig’s head bruschetta was good – and sure enough, whatever qualms I had about the anatomical particulars soon melted smokily and deliciously away in my mouth. Two salads – grilled watermelon and red onion; tuna, celery and pearl barley – were light, punchy and seriously good. 

Then came the signature bombettes. Originally a peasant snack from Puglia, bombettes are essentially cheap cuts of meat wrapped around bits of cheese. Of course, here they’ve been given the upmarket treatment – ours used scamorza and prosciutto – and let’s face it: it’s pretty hard to go wrong. But however heavy the flavours, these greasy, salty little morsels were lifted by a fantastic rocket and pecorino salad and courgette fries. Vegetarians needn’t be put off: they could order a few side and starter plates and leave contented.

Desserts were just as glorious. Tiramisu was the perfect balance of sweetness and booze; panna cotta was brought to life by figs and a fragrant basil sorbet. They summed up what makes Bombetta work: taking simple trad dishes, and avoiding needless tinkering in favour of letting high-quality ingredients do most of the work. It might feel out of place in leafy Snaresbrook – but that’s not to say it won’t have people venturing into darkest Zone 4. I’ll certainly be coming back.