Last Updated on September 24, 2024
An Italian in Belgravia – Il Pampero
At some point last century, I used to play the keyboards in a down-at-heel West End nightclub called The Rheingold. It was named after an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse that had triumphed in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The interiors were full of dusty racing memorabilia with the few remaining clientele shuffling around on the dance floor trying to relive their youth. In the 1960s it had the reputation of being a place where a young chap on the pull could find an accommodating ‘continental’ au pair. By the time I was there, it was a ghost ship, with a crew that included a German barmaid with pigtails in a dirndl who read Kierkegaard obsessively and a drunk Irish chef who would regularly fly into violent rages and had to be locked in the kitchen. So when I was asked to review Il Pampero, a place that describes itself as ‘Belgravia’s neighbourhood Italian’ and is named after the owner’s favourite horse I had a few reservations.
I needn’t have worried.
Located on the ground floor of the stylish boutique Belgravia hotel, The Hari, Il Pampero opened in 2016 and has become a destination for residents, locals and Knightsbridge shoppers.
It marries Italian hospitality with London style. The interior features eclectic contemporary photos; there are art books scattered around with a black and white tiled floor, Vespa green gloss wood panelling, attractive mirrored features and light brickwork to create a cosy destination for a slice of La Dolce Vita. Locals come by for a coffee or aperitivo, but we were in for dinner.
A couple of glasses of crisp Ruinart Brut with its summer fruit notes were the perfect way to get in the mood and banish thoughts of a rainy London evening. There is also an appealing signature cocktail list if you are in the mood with an upstairs bar for pre or post dinner drinks.
A welcome breadbasket laden with moist focaccia and crisp shards of carasau arrived with some fruity Farchioni DOP Umbrian olive oil for dipping.
A starter of spada affumicato was a well-balanced plate of smoked swordfish with the salty tang of a Taggiasche olive puree, the richness of a semi-dried datterino tomato and the sweetness of a pickled Tropea onion – a plateful of many flavours that coalesced beautifully.
Perfect for a miserable rainy day, fregola e cozze combined the nutty Sardinian pasta with some plump juicy mussels, a hint of chilli bite and tomato and herbs for a dish that was simple and delicious.
A bottle of Etna Bianco ‘Ciuri’ Terrazze dell’Etna 2022 with its lemon minerality was the perfect foil for our pasta course, Pici Cacio e Pepe. The al dente pici were slathered in a creamy pecorino and black pepper sauce giving an authentic contrast between the bite of the pepper and the richness of the sauce.
A beautifully seared tuna steak came with an unctuous aubergine puree, roast tomato and creamy stracciatella. It was a fabulous piece of fish that I was delighted to eat!
For our vegetable dishes, the cavolo nero with garlic and chilli was too chewy for my taste but the zucchine fritte – crispy fried skinny strips of courgette – were very moreish in fact we ate them all…
Our dessert of honey-roasted fig and almond tart was an elegant piece of patisserie – not too sweet and with a light but firm pastry shell – lifted by the clean-tasting fior di latte ice cream accompaniment.
Il Pampero is a horse that’s worth having a flutter on. It’s perfect for an intimate tete-a-tete or a work or family outing. With informed service that’s not too formal, it’s definitely worth a trip to Belgravia.
Il Pampero
20 Chesham Place,
Belgravia,
London SW1X 8HQ
Leave a Reply