Quirinale

Within strolling distance of Parliament, Quirinale occupies an understated, elegant basement room with well-spaced tables that allow for discreet power-broking. Our evening here was a frustrating study in extreme contrasts of quality. Service was erratic, sometimes bordering on the dismissive. Food, from the seasonal menu and a list of specials, varied wildly and dispiritingly. Starters of culatello (a type of prosciutto) with thin discs of buffalo mozzarella, and a squid-ink risotto with two appetising slabs of squid, were dazzling; octopus salad and a salad with spelt (wheat-like grain) were merely adequate. Main courses, apart from a special of venison with a parsley crust and wild mushrooms, disappointed hugely. Mushy, clumsily sauced osso bucco was likened to ‘school dinners’; this dish should never have left the kitchen. Another special of trofie (handmade pasta) with ‘duck ragù’ featured a gloopy, lacklustre sauce. Things picked up with good puddings and cheeses served with top-notch condiments. Excellent wines, fairly priced though not cheap, were supplied with expert guidance. Yet at these prices, the lapses in food and service were unforgivable. The kitchen is capable of great things. On our visit, too much of the other extreme was in evidence.

Services

Child facilities: Babies and children admitted

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