Last Updated on April 28, 2024
This Pasta Joint in South Kensington Brings Italian Culture to the Capital
Those of us who cook know the term ‘Al Dente’ only too well. Growing up on a diet of tinned spaghetti in tomato sauce, it wasn’t until I tried cooking dried and fresh pasta myself that I realised what I thought was in some way authentic was nothing of the kind. I still quite like spaghetti hoops on toast – but much in the same way that I’ll happily down a cup of instant coffee if I’m in a hurry. It’s not the real thing at all. The term al dente means ‘to the tooth’ – properly cooked Italian pasta can seem almost underdone to British taste, but just like a good espresso – once you’ve had a bowlful of pasta cooked Italian style, you’ll see anything else as a poor substitute. Perhaps the same is true for Italian restaurants like Al Dente.
On a chilly November evening just a few weeks after this place opened its doors, there’s a buzz about the place and the 50-cover restaurant is pretty much full. The diners are predominantly younger (gentle readers, that may simply be that I am getting older) and a lively crowd who I suspect are local to the area. A glance at the menu suggests this might have something to do with pricing – in a world of rising bills, most of the options are affordable, from Bruschetta al Pomodoro at £5.00 and bowls of pasta from £9.50 for a confit Dattarini tomato sauce spaghettino through to £22.00 if you want to indulge in fresh truffles! This is the real deal though – the Carbonara lists ingredients as Guanciale, free-range eggs, pecorino cheese and black pepper and details like Dattarini tomatoes suggest an authenticity that you wouldn’t necessarily anticipate at this price point.
The drinks menu is well priced too – cocktails from £9.00 or a Limoncello for £4.00 and a concise wine list that has two Italian sparkling wines – a good Prosecco for £38.00 a bottle or £7.00 a glass and our own choice of Marchese Antinori Franciacorta DOCG at £55.00 for a bottle. You could go fallout or a bottle of Tignanello at £200 – but for the most part, the Italian wine list is affordable, the markup reasonable and there’s wine by the glass priced between £6 and £7.
Next time I’ll bring more people because the antipasti offering is the kind where you really want a bit of everything. We indulged in 3 dishes by skipping the fresh ciabatta and olive focaccia and instead ordering the Bruschetta al Pomodoro – an excellent option with crisp toasts of ciabatta piled high with a delicious topping of chopped cherry tomatoes, basil and garlic.
The arancini, six crisp little mouthfuls, come in three flavours and I managed to miss out on cacio et pepe, while my companion didn’t get the beef ragù. No matter – we both liked the amatriciana best – mostly I suspect because of the delicious gooey centre which was apparently a mix of pecorino and parmesan. The shells were perfectly cooked and the rice a good sticky, well-flavoured mix that hadn’t lost the eponymous al-dente bit!
The plate of burrata and Parma ham was superbly generous for two – and the burrata itself was utterly delicious. I meant to ask for the supplier but, in my eagerness to eat, completely forgot to do so. Too bad I’ll just have to go back!
My own pasta dish of Linguine Seafood was packed with plump prawns and mussels, squid and cherry tomatoes. I was pleasantly reassured when I checked with the server about parmesan (the menu mentioned that you should tell them if you don’t want parmesan). She looked slightly horrified and exclaimed that they didn’t serve parmesan with seafood – which is exactly as it should be – no self-respecting Italian would envisage such a travesty.
For my companion, the luxurious tagliolini with butter, truffle paste and fresh black truffle which looked utterly amazing and which I didn’t even get to taste! As I mentioned earlier, a repeat visit is definitely in order!
My tiramisu came served in a neat miniature Kilner jar. Light and fresh, with a good coffee kick, it was the perfect end to the meal for me. My companion’s cannolo Siciliano was a little heavy – but in all honesty, I haven’t managed to find good cannoli in London anywhere! All washed down with strong coffee we were in Italian heaven.
So, if you fancy a bit of authentic Italian food and a glass or two of good Italian wine, why not try Al Dente? The only thing you’ll be struggling with is what to pick from the menu!
Al Dente
65 Old Brompton Rd,
South Kensington,
London SW7 3JS
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