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Bocca di Lupo
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By Elena Berton
In superstitious Italy no one will ever wish you good luck. Instead, they will tell you in bocca al lupo (literally, ‘into the mouth of the wolf’). There are plenty of opportunities to learn peculiar Italian idioms at Bocca di Lupo, especially if you check out the loos, where the walls are decorated with culinary proverbs helpfully translated into English. But the main reason for visiting this new Soho Italian should be the chance to experience an outstanding gastronomic tour of most of Italy’s 20 regions, preferably perched next to the long white-marble counter with a full view of the kitchen.
Chef Jacob Kenedy, who previously worked at Moro, has borrowed the degustation concept now obligatory in French and Spanish restaurants and applied it to Italian regional cuisine. The result is a daily changing offering of starter-sized servings of skilfully prepared regional specialities – which the impeccably trained staff will suggest you mix and share – or larger portions for those who prefer a more traditional Italian meal.
The seasonal menu currently favours robust, comforting fare from northern and central Italy, with highlights such as plump porcini nestled on a wedge of grilled yellow polenta and topped with lardo di Colonnata, the melt-in-the-mouth cured lard from Tuscany.
Other must-try dishes, which seldom appear on restaurant menus in London, are crisp-fried artichokes, a Jewish-Roman speciality; or the crescent-shaped fried bread from Bologna accompanied by fluffy squacquerone cheese and fennel-fragranced salami.
Another timely treat (and nice superstitious touch) is the unctuous cotechino sausage with lentils, which is traditionally served around new year. Because lentils symbolise money, the more you eat, the richer you will supposedly grow in the coming year.
Those who have grown tired of tiramisu and panna cotta can look forward to more regional discoveries. If there’s no room for the luscious Sicilian cassata, a glassful of burnt almond granita with a bitter chocolate sorbet is a lighter, but equally indulgent, conclusion to a remarkable meal.
On our visit, just over a week after opening, the dining room was justifiably full. Despite Bocca di Lupo’s understated luxe atmosphere and outstanding food, prices are surprisingly lower than those of many so-called aspirational Italian restaurants in central London. As they say in Italy, botte buona fa buon vino (a good cask makes good wine).Time Out December 2008
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Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.
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Details
- 12 Archer Street, Soho, W1D 7BB
- Area: Soho
- Tel: 7734 2223
- www.boccadilupo.com
- Book online
- Category: Italian
- Travel: Piccadilly Circus tube
- Times: 12.30-3pm, 5.30-11pm Mon-Sat
- Price: Meal for two including wine and service: around £70
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angele27
People should get to know me, because i am a friendly person to talk to, very open minded, smart, 'jolie jeune fille', independent and always...
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We really enjoyed our meal here. Is it 'Italian?' Does it matter? It's a modern approach that obviously doesn't suit all. We shared 5 starter sized dishes between 2 and felt satisfied. 4 out of the 5 were exceptional, the 5 (John Dory) wasn't anything to write home about (plus hardly worth struggling through the many bones in such a small portion).
The space is lovely, the atmosphere buzzing at the frankly ludicrously named 'Chef's Table' (actually the bar). As to cost, we thought it was similar to other London restaurants at this level. Far, far better cooking than many of the famous chef's gaffs. But no, it's not like Mama's cooking (not always a bad thing... ). We look forward to going back.
Definitely agreeing with both Mark & Frances here. I ate at the restaurant on Saturday 9th and found that it turned out to be outstanding food followed by outstanding service, inclusive of waiter advice. I too sat opposite the kitchen and found it to be one of the friendliest, most entertaining, and one of my greatest eating experiences too! Absolutely impeccable. Well, apart from the ergonomics of the bar. Although I struggled to reach the food, I can hardly blame my height on the owners!
All in all, this is to say if in London, Bocca Di Lupo is an absolute must. Get in quick!
I totally agree with Frances, ignore the petty reviews below. I had my birthday dinner at Bocca in the private dining room for 24 people. The food was very simple but everything tasted incredible, the essence of italian food. everybody who came to the dinner remarked what a brilliant restaurent Bocca di Lupo is and everybody said they would def go back. plus the service could not of been better and the decor is very chic but relaxed. GO!!!!!!
looking at the reviews below by some of my fellow bloggers, I wonder if we are really reviewing the same restaurant. I went to Bocca di Lupo last night and had one of the greatest eating experiences i've had for many years. to begin with the restaurant is beautiful, especially the bar where we sat. the service was efficient, proffessional and charming and the food was thoughtfully made from the finest ingredients. because it was an anniverary for us, they brought us two complimentary glasses of Prossecco (unasked for). We had about 7 small dishes, wine and puddings and the bill came to /4 pounds! I'm now a devotee and will tell all my friends. Ignore the churlish reviews below. Go go go!
We had a thoroughly bad meal here, mostly because of poor service. We had the recommended seats at the bar watching the kitchen, and the atmosphere and appearance is great. But our waiter talked us out of ordering the size of dishes we wanted, so we ended up with too little to eat. (The small dishes vary, but generally are too small for two to share. Five "smalls" among two of us was inadequate.) Then we gave clear instructions of the order of the dishes we wanted, but the waiter or te kitchen thought they knew better and reordered the menu. The result was that the main courses were thoroughly cold before we had received and eaten the appetizers. Maybe the cotechino dish is "unctuous" when hot but it was inedible in the state it reached us. Just a failure of a meal in a failure of a restaurant. Don't go.
This is a restaurant that tries to produce italian dishes but lacks basic instinc and knowledge of italian food. What little arrives on a plate is more industrial than artisanal - the real food of Italy - and the prices are just outrageous. Perhaps the owners should take a trip to Italy (or Locatelli or Sardo or L'Incontro) to see how to cook and present italian foods.
I am Italian and I can't say this restaurant cook in the Italian way! I went once and I was really disappointed because from the reviews I was expecting something really Italian but it wasn't. I think who previously gave the feedback on the restaurant wasn't Italian, nothing taste Italian in Bocca di Lupo maybe the name only. I went there with my family, we were 4 of us and we have tried 4 different meals they all were just not Italian maybe english!!! If you are expecting a 100% of Italian experience you will be disappointed like me. If you are just looking for a restaurant this place is fine.
i don't know how people can say a bad word about this restaurant!! i can only hope they decide to go back, having had an unlucky evening, because i ate there yesterday, and it was so good i ran back for lunch today, and was sorely tempted to try for dinner as well!! the dishes were exquisite - really beautifully prepared, but not at all pretentious... the atmosphere was vibrant, and the waiters, although admittedly very busy, were courteous and helpful. beautiful decor, great evening, and above all, fantastic food! highly, highly recommended.
If you go to have dinner, you have to choices.
The bar where you can eat peacefully, no noise and definitely enjoy the time together with your friends.Or
The sala that I don't reccomend at all, no outstanding place to eat, the noise was so unberable that we left after the second.
As our first time there we expected to have some explanations about food and some reccomendations, but unfortunately even the waiter hadn't a little understanding of the food, didn't speak English so we walked out very disappointed.
The prise wasn't worthy!
Food good but overratted
I came here for a special occasion having read good reviews. We arrived on time, the restaurant had a good buzz and we were promptly seated and brought drinks and delicious bread and olive oil.
The menu had some interesting options (e.g. fried eel & prawns with white polenta) and we liked the concept of offering everything as starter or main size. However, it took 30 mins for the waiter to realise that food we had ordered was no longer available, and over an hour for food to arrive for a table of just 6. We would have been fine if the laid-back Italian service had applied throughout, but discovered plates were cleared nearly before we could place the fork down, one dish was even cleared before the entire order had arrived. We gave up before dessert / coffee.
I would recommend Bocca de Lupo for a brisk at-bar bite but, for a leisurely sit-down meal, it was certainly not worthy of the prices they were asking.