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Please note, Tinello has now closed. Time Out Food editors, March 2019.
Federico and Max Sali opened Tinello in 2010, after a firm grounding at Locanda Locatelli, where the former was head chef and his brother the sommelier. Here, great produce is treated with skill and respect for tradition, but dishes still have the capacity to surprise. Wines by the glass are affordable (a handful cost under £5) and there are bottles below £15. There’s no set menu, but the carte is flexible and main courses hover around the £20 mark. On our visit, both duck breast and a hefty pork chop of Pyrenean origin were cooked to pink perfection. Simple, rustic accompaniments – a potato and radicchio ‘stew’ in the first instance, crushed potatoes and roast garlic cloves in the latter – highlighted the intrinsic taste of the meats. Deeply verdant nettle pappardelle, ravioli stuffed with pork cheek, and the fluffiest of potato dumplings coated with crunchy powdered mushroom also showed skilful execution. Sourcing, whether of lardo, olive oil or coffee, was impeccable, as was the service: unobtrusive yet alert and always friendly. The pared-back elegance of the place – bare brick, dark wood, metal and mirrored tiles – reflects the simple perfection of the food and wine on offer.