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London is rightly famed for its multicultural make-up and nowhere is this better celebrated than in capital's food. Time Out and BBC on-line food writer and critic, Sejal Sukhadwala, picks five of its best world restaurants Click to view Top 5 London World Restaurants.
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Best Sexy Italian (Locanda Locatelli) |
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 How could you not warm to a chef who describes truffles as "tasting of sex and earth"? Locanda Locatelli is owned by handsome celebrity chef Giorgio Locatelli and his lovely wife Plaxy and the place simmers with the sort of classy Italian sexiness made famous by films like La Dolce Vita. |
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| Locanda Locatelli is sexier than Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg on a Vespa. Located inside the Churchill Intercontinental hotel (but with its own separate entrance), the dining room is done up in soothing creams, whites, blues and greens, with glass and wood panels for added texture. The gorgeous, glamorous space is created by top designer David Collins, and boasts a contemporary retro-chic style, with cushy cream leather banquets, dim lighting and curved mirrors. |
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| The place is a celeb magnet, with plenty of atmosphere and opportunities for people watching. And the people you could end up watching might include Paul McCartney, Stella McCartney, Gwyneth Paltrow, Elton John, Bono, and Madonna. Possibly all on the same evening. |
Rustic Fare |
 The cooking is a modern take on traditional rustic northern Italian fare. The menu changes regularly, depending on fresh produce available, and ingredients are key. Antipasti might be ox tongue with salsa verde, and meat dishes include stewed neck of lamb with polenta and Chianti sauce, and medallions of venison with pan-fried cream and radicchio. Fish dishes encompass wild sea bass baked in salt and herb crust and chargrilled sardines with panzanella (bread and tomato salad).
There isn’t a great deal for vegetarians - except pasta dishes like egg-free pasta with Italian cipolle onions and tomato sauce, and own-made chestnut tagliatelle with wild mushrooms. Everything tastes fresh, natural and gutsy. |
Sex and Earth |
| In season (autumn/winter), Locanda also offers speciality truffle dishes - no doubt tasting of sex and earth - for which people travel for miles. And for further indulgence, there are tarts, mousses, ice creams, sorbets, and classics such as tiramisu, semifreddo, and panna cotta on the dessert menu. |
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 The wine list is very impressive, with a large selection of Italian regional wines, rare vintages, and sparkling varieties such as Prosecco.
Locanda, more than most upscale restaurants in London, caters for special diets - such as gluten-free and dairy-free, as well as people with allergies. And it manages to do so without being righteous and without pandering to food fads, fashions and fancies. |
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| Despite TV fame and international acclaim, Giorgio Locatelli has achieved that rare thing: a swanky restaurant that cooks authentic dishes with integrity, without compromising for its many Size 00 clientele. And, really, what’s sexier than integrity? |
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| Locanda Locatelli, 8 Seymour St, W1H 7JZ. Tel: 020 7935 9088. www.locandalocatelli.com. Marble Arch tube. Open Mon-Thu 12 noon-3pm, 6.45pm-11pm; Fri 12 noon-3pm, 7pm-11.30pm; Sat 12 noon-3.30pm, 6.45pm-11.30pm; Sun 12 noon-3.30pm, 6.45pm-10pm. |
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