Stecca

In a moment of commuting contemplation, it occurred to me that there are probably now more Italian restaurants in Chelsea and Fulham than there are pubs, and there are a lot of pubs – ergo, anyone considering opening another Italian round here needs to be confident and capable in their conviction.

Chef Stefano Stecca has worked around the capital’s top restaurants long enough to know how it works. And so he proves with this latest venture. His eponymous spot sits just off Fulham Road in a row of four restaurants, three of them Italian.

Plenty of competition, then, but Stecca is already rather popular with the locals. It’s spacious, with large windows, white walls and crisp tablecloths. The food might scream simple and unfussy, but a lot of work goes in to making a meal this good.

The porcini risotto was nicely complemented by a sprinkling of nutty parmesan; while a melt-in-the-mouth beef ragù brought the tastebuds to life with a tangy tomato sauce. Next, mains saw a perfectly cooked fillet of beef with a mushroom sauce compete with a fresh and flaky fillet of cod in a pool of lentils. We couldn’t choose a winner. Dessert: imported cannoli shells filled with pistachio cream (no need to look further). Being Chelsea, the clientele ranged from besuited to families, to a chap in football shorts. It appears Signore Stecca has already achieved his target of having a neighbourhood favourite on his hands.