It’s thanks to our recent trip to Squatt Wine Shop that we finally discovered Italian gem Retro Bottega. Owned by the same Italian-born proprietor Pietro Rusanno, the wine-cellar-cum-restaurant is small and intimate, with an open kitchen and shelves stocked full of wine – red, white, and 100% Italian.
The short menu changes constantly throughout the week and it’s nigh on impossible to choose between Rusanno’s simple creations. From beef pancetta with wild fennel pesto to crunchy pak choi with prawns and pistachio pesto – both perfectly-balanced, both absolutely sublime. The beautiful, freshly made ricotta tortelloni was another favourite, accompanied by organic squash, drizzled in sage-infused butter and finished with Piedmont nuts and Parmesan shavings.
And, obviously, we had to celebrate such lovely Italian food with some lovely Italian wine – we enjoyed the strong Northern Sicilian red (Porta del Vento / Perricone 2011). Plus, the new cocktail bar next door, Blue Bird, does the best Negroni - perfect for an additional, after-dinner tipple.
TRANSLATION: LEONIE CATER