Last Updated on May 31, 2024
Lucky Luciano takes over The Strand
I’m a bit wary of celebrity chefs who open Italian restaurants and I have to admit to only being peripherally aware of chef and TV personality Gino D’Acampo apart from the fact that women seem to go weak-kneed when his name is mentioned. So here is everything you need to know. Gino’s middle name is Sheffield. This might seem unlikely for a chap who comes from Torre del Greco, a suburb of Naples but with a surname York who am I to argue? The second thing you should be aware of is that Mr D’Acampo was crowned King of the Jungle in the ninth series of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in which he was nearly arrested for cooking a rat. The final thing is that he manages to sustain multiple careers in catering, showbiz, as an author of cookbooks and TV chef and as restaurateur seemingly without breaking a sweat. I’m not sure if I like him or not but the Sheffield thing seemed to be a positive sign.
I’ve come to review Luciano, his recently opened restaurant. You’ll find it on the Strand, just opposite the theatre where Mamma Mia is playing.
The dining room is much bigger than I expected. It’s a lovely airy space with a light wooden floor, duck egg blue Hessian walls and leather banquettes with upholstered backs. There’s an open kitchen and bar, surprisingly attractive tropical ‘jungle’ wallpaper, arch windows looking out onto the hustle and bustle outside and crucially …linen tablecloths and napkins. I nearly forgot the smoked mirror ceiling lighting panel, slightly reminiscent of a 70s disco.
After the excitement created by the interiors, I needed a drink. A Negroni Bianco can be a hit-or-miss affair. This was a blend of Malfy Originale gin, Italicus bergamot aperitif, Cocchi Americano and Cerignola olives. It had herbal and vermouth notes and was elegant and refreshing but still with plenty of body. The Caprese Martini was delicious, bringing together Malfy Originale gin, La Tomato liqueur, basil, lemon and extra virgin olive oil to create a drink with the subtle fruitiness of tomato, along with citrus and basil notes and the earthy texture of olive oil. Essentially it’s a pizza in a glass…
From the starters menu, we had an excellent Burrata di Puglia which arrived quite chilled and topped with a salsa rossa picante – red and yellow baby tomatoes, finely diced red onion and chilli. It was plated with a crisp sliver of Sardinian Pane Carasau. As our cocktails had somehow run dry we ordered a bottle of Grillo Olli, Feudo Maccari from Sicily. It had plenty of body, good minerality and pear notes.
A buttery (mantecato) Risotto Primavera from the pasta list, with asparagus and sugar snap peas, caramelised garlic and extra virgin olive oil, was fresh and springlike. The rice was nutty and toothsome and the vegetable flavours had a pleasing zing.
Tender pan-fried chicken breast escallops (Scaloppine di Pollo) came with asparagus and a light lemon and caper butter sauce – it was a good choice for a light main dish.
Tonno al Pepe – a peppered line-caught yellowfin tuna steak – came with garlic green beans, baby plum tomatoes and Leccino olives. The steak was juicy and the peppered outside gave it a real kick, softened by the sweetness of the tomato and olive sauce.
The Tiramisu at Luciano was as I remember the dish from the 1990s in Italy – a well-balanced version with a hint of alcohol and not over-creamy. Why mess with a classic?
Luciano is a perfect place to take family and friends, or for a business event. It’s a great spot for the West End theatres and there’s even a kids menu. It’s serving good quality takes on Italian classic dishes at a reasonable price for the location. If you have bad memories of other ‘celebrity chef’ Italian restaurants, Luciano should deliver.
Luciano by Gino D’Acampo
336-337 The Strand, Aldwych, London, WC2R 1HA
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