Food

Capricci review

A dreary drizzly October evening, this cosy restaurant with its dim lighting and after work buzz, was the perfect antidote for a cold Autumn evening. Capricci, the authentic Italian restaurant and wine bar located on the buzzing Southbank, had just appointed a new young Head Chef Federico Casali to elevate their Italian trattoria offering with a new and improved menu. Joining in August, we’d heard great things about the new offering, and were keen to try the eatery out for ourselves.

An open plan kitchen sits in the middle of the room, with puffs of smoke and chefs busily moving about, it adds to the quaint charm of the space. We sat at one of the 2 top window tables and started perusing the menu. Next to us the shelves are adorned with Italian delicatessen goods; dried pasta, pickled vegetables and a range of oils.

The back of the menu hosts a full deli listing, an Italian foodies dream. Settling in with a glass of prosecco in hand, and the rain spitting down outside, we both commented that we wished every Tuesday night could be like this.

It was an excruciatingly hard choice, so we made the agreement to share. We chose two solid starters; Roasted goat cheese, honey, fennel, lemon thyme, and ricotta cheese and black cabbage dumpling with fresh truffle. Served on delicate white plates against the marble top table, this scene felt distinctly Italian. I was glad we choose to share as both dishes looked as delicious as each other. Served drowned in a cheesy sauce, the super soft dumplings with their crunchy vegetable bite could change anyone’s mind about cabbage. Finished off with generous shavings of truffle, there was everything to love about this starter. The goat’s cheese was browned to absolute perfection, sitting on a bed of light vegetables, finished with a fennel twist, I could easily eat both dishes over again.

We’d got through the start of the week and felt like we needed a reward, so opted for equally decadent mains; Gnocchi with chanterelle mushrooms, and paccheri gorgonzola and black cabbage. Again choosing to share rather than make the impossible choice between the two. This really hit the spot. I honestly can’t remember the last time I had pasta like this, incredibly fresh and cooked al dente style, the sign of a truly great Italian. Once again, I was surprised by just how tasty they could make cabbage, softened and drowned in a delicious creamy sauce, so moreish that I ended up spooning the sauce out of the plate once the pasta was finished. The gnocchi was just incredible, topped with chewy mushrooms and also doused in a creamy sauce, this one had a hint of sweetness that added to the decadence.

Totally full but refusing to leave without sampling what we predicted to be an epic dessert, we finished off with the ultimate Italian dessert; Tiramisu. Dense cream, dark chocolate and a hint of orange, This course was as indulgent as the rest and left us fully satisfied. To me it tasted like a kind of creamy chocolate orange, the stuff dreams are made of.

A gorgeous little Italian eatery in a great location, Capprici is dreamy. Not for those watching their calories but the perfect spot for a warming meal on a dreary London evening.

Website address: https://www.capricciforlondon.co.uk

Address: Enoteca Rabezzana, 62-63 Long Ln, London EC1A 9EJ

Written by Jordan Crowley