Now I know what you are thinking - "Who on earth, other than tourists or people under the age of 25 who don't know any better, dines between The Strand and Covent Garden?"
Well, dear reader, you should give this place a try for exactly that reason. Restaurateur Russell Norman has conquered trendy Soho so successfully that if you attempt to get into one of his other restaurants (Polpo, Spuntino or Polpetto) you have to be prepared to wait a good couple of hours. Waiting for food makes me grumpy. I can handle 20 minutes with a large gin and tonic but much longer and I get tetchy. So when I decided to try Da Polpo I was delighted to find that although it is always busy and buzzy, you don't usually have to wait too long. The food is divine, they describe it as Venetian tapas and it is lovely Italian comfort food, really reasonably priced (each dish is about £7 and you need about 8 of these between 4 people).
The atmosphere is always cheerful and jolly, and even though the tables are packed in next to each other, it feels surprisingly romantic and intimate.
The dishes I recommend you try: zucchini salad with basil parmesan, the spinach pizette and of course the classic spaghetti and meatballs.
Mr Rose and I went last Thursday with some lovely pals over from Melbourne. We went first to Gordon's Wine Bar, London's oldest wine bar don't you know. Then after our lovely dinner at Da Polpo we had ice cream at The Icecreamists which is about 4 doors along from Da Polpo. It was a perfect London summer evening.
I don't know if it is because it is relatively new, or if it is because of its less trendy location, but everytime I've been I've had a table within 10 minutes. Win.
PS - for the ladies who lunch reading the blog it is bookable at lunchtime.
Onto my next recommendation (its a bumper edition today)
Yesterday Mr Rose and I were lucky enough to go and see Richard III at The Old Vic. There is no point me urging you to go as it is sold out for evermore, but if by chance some kind soul gives you a ticket then my advice is GO GO GO!!!
Kevin Spacey is just wonderful. I shan't bang on about it here as much has been written on the subject, but it isn't often I can be captivated by 3.5 hours of Shakespeare that I have never seen before.
After the matinee, Dr Gustav ( Mr Rose's Papa), Julie (his ladyfriend), Mr Rose and I walked along to Tate Modern to have supper. Now as good as the play was, nothing quite works up a need for a gin and tonic and a steak and chips like Shakespeare and a walk. So by the time we got to Tate Modern I was wildly saying: A steak, a steak! My kingdom for a steak! And basically only making myself laugh with my steak related witticisms.
We had a lovely meal with the most lovely London view.
Dr Gustav, Mr Rose and I had delish steak and chips with a very good Argentinian red, and Julie had mussels with Pinot Griiiig. All were very happy with the lovely food, drink and view.
Food tastes so much better after Shakespeare, don't you find?
Rose x
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