LONDON, Sept 15 — London is a great city for Italian cuisine. We’ve got it covered, from fine dining to pizza. I’m not saying we are better than New York—just that we’re good.
There are gaps in our dining scene. American cuisine is poorly represented, apart from burgers. Mexican is still emerging from the Tex-Mex ghetto. Peruvian is so new, most of us don’t know our anticucho from our elbow.
But Italian? London needs another ristorante about as much as it needs more rain. Still they keep coming: Chefs promising to bring something new to a table that is cluttered.
Toto’s barely registered when it opened in May. It’s not even new. This is a 1980s establishment that’s had a facelift, trying—as many of us do—to look a little younger.
A friend invited me and I arrived with low expectations that were dispelled as soon as I saw the pretty courtyard where you can eat lunch. The sun was shining, the light filtering through the leaves of a plane-tree believed to be 500 years old.
It felt like I was in Italy on a summer’s day. I’m just back from a short visit to Italy, where I didn’t find anywhere I enjoyed as much. (My fault: Many places are closed in August.)
In the fancy restaurants, the chefs showed off with fusion, foam and foie gras. In the touristy Alfredo alla Scrofa, the waiter was so rude, he might have been amusing had I not been dining alone and becoming increasingly paranoid. At Toto’s, the service is polite and the menu is as friendly as your best chum.
Quiet Mews
All the things you want to find are there, from beef carpaccio with black truffle through beautiful pasta and fish dishes to tiramisu. The prices are reasonable for Knightsbridge, a district so expensive, few Britons live there.
That’s not to say Toto’s is anywhere near inexpensive. It’s easy to spend £100 (RM 520) a head if you get stuck into the wine list, which I would recommend you do unless you are under 18, or driving, or seeking to cut down on Bacchanalian excess.
Toto’s sits in a quiet mews. The indoor dining room is gorgeous but the terrace—which is closed in the evenings—is prettier. The chef is Rimini-born Stefano Stecca. His approach reminds me of that of the River Cafe: Get the finest seasonal ingredients and let them speak for themselves.
I can hear them. They are saying, “Eat me.” I’d cross London for the creamy burrata, the sweet tomatoes, the full- flavored Pio Tosini 24-months Parma ham with buffalo mozzarella. And then there’s the pasta: tortelli filled with goat cheese, walnuts and veal ragout (£12); tagliolini with lobster, sweet chili and cherry tomatoes (£19).
A main of baby chicken with diavola sauce (£20) comes with a crispy char and is served atop green beans and vividly red vine tomatoes. It’s colorful and spicy and far from bland.
Charming and Professional
Chef Stecca is a veteran of Zafferano, Rosmarino, 5 Pollen Street and Brunello at the Baglioni and was one of the chefs through the revolving door at Novikov.
The service is charming and professional. That’s no surprise: Silvano Giraldin, one of the kings of the London hospitality business, is a consultant. He was maitre d’ for almost 40 years at Le Gavroche. The general manager is Enrico Molino, another veteran of Le Gavroche.
Toto’s wine list is an eye-opener and not—I am happy to say—because it is expensive. I’m bored with the characterless, easy-drinking wines you are served at the cheaper end of the list at many Italian restaurants.
Here, there are dozens of choices below £50. I’d trust the sommelier, Giacomo Morlacchi, with my wallet.
Now, Toto’s may not be for you. Some of the diners make me feel young. Others remind me of the international jet set you see in Monaco or in Porto Cervo during the season in Sardinia.
So I’ll pop a bottle of Dom Perignon 1969 (£900) and recommend a few more Italian places. Top end: L’Anima, Locanda Locatelli and River Cafe. Casual: Bocca di Lupo, Cafe Murano, Trullo and Zucca. Neighborhood: Ciao Bella. Pizza: Franco Manca.
Rating: 8/10
Toto’s, Lennox Garden Mews, Walton House, London, SW3 2JH. — Bloomberg
