Locanda Locatelli is part of the the Churchill Hotel Group,but it seems to do have a mind of its own and does its own thing.Its very smart,swanky tastefully decorated with wood heather and spotlights.
It is virtually impossible to get in without a booking and you usually have to wait months because its always busy. Locatelli is a celebrity chef but the his reputation is based on and continues to grow because he uses the finest ingredients and marries them up with a traditional style of Italian cooking.
After having consumed the anti-pasta of delicate Langoustines in a Garlic and Chilli sauce with Pappardelle,Broad- Beans in Tomatoe sauce,we started on the mains . Having chosen the chargrilled rolled Pork it was nice to find that it was bursting with herbs and served with deep-fried Courgettes in batter. We also had a dish of grilled Tuna with Rocket Salad simply served with a wedge of Lemon,all this enhanced the flavours of the raw ingredients with a subtlety which was pleasent to taste. The side orders consisted of roast potatoes pungently infused with sprigs of Rosemary and the Foccacia and breadsticks were pronounced excellent.
A chocolate tasting dessert combined with a Parfait ice-cream gave the Amadei dish all the finesse it deserved.Perfect Vanilla Pannacotta with Berries,Redfruit sauce and the Stracciatella(Chocolate Chips) ice-cream on a biscuit base hit the right spots in the mouth. Coffee was as good as you would expect and came with a Chocolate Truffle and an outstandingly good Amaretto. Other than the Champagne the wine list is all Italian and the whites and reds are thoughtfully arranged by region and feature well know growers like Guia Antinori. Wine by the glass is good value at 3.50 or there abouts.