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On the corner, next to Lancaster Gate Tube station, Tortello is a brand new Italian restaurant showcasing fresh handmade pasta. Its name is the singular of Tortelloni, the Northern Italian stuffed pasta and it’s meant to reflect everything the restaurant stands for: care for detail, respect for tradition, and the belief that flavour comes from real craft. A vintage pistachio-green Fiat 500 is parked near the entrance as an Italian welcome.

It occupies a part of the Royal Lancaster London Hotel but has its own entrance. Inside it’s whites and pastel greens, with modern chic light fittings and wooden floors. The large rectangular space has bar and kitchen on one side and large windows on the other. From these, there are tremendous views of the park opposite. 

Head Chef Lucio di Basilico is from Pescara but has a distinguished pedigree in London hotel restaurants. He selects the best ingredients – silky flour from specialist Italian mills, rich golden yolk eggs and produce from artisan farmers in Italy. His regional menu features his signature pasta alongside delicate antipasti and seasonal secondi.

We get an attentive welcome and are swiftly shown to our table and offered drinks from the extensive Italian wine list.  I go for a glass of Picollo Gavi di Gavi £10, while my partner goes for a mocktail.  The menu is mercifully short and split into Aperitivo, Antipasti, Pasta Fresca Ripiena, Pasta Fresca and Secondi. We ask for advice from our knowledgeable waiter, and we go with his suggestions.

 So to start, the Aperitivo section features focaccia and mixed olives but we go for the black truffle & ricotta croquettes with Parmigiano Reggiano shavings £7. The six small croquettes are as light as a feather, spiced with truffle and abundant Parmesan on top. Just the right thing to get us going.

 Moving on to Antipasti, the Orkney crab tortelli, charcoal pasta, langoustine & parsley butter sauce £14 beckons. This is our first taste of the homemade pasta and it really does impress. Delightfully al dente, the crab filling bursts with flavour, complemented by the brilliance of the bisque-like sauce.

The Pasta Fresca Ripiena section features fresh egg pasta and our waiter has recommended the Delica pumpkin tortelli, brown butter emulsion, crispy sage, toasted hazelnut £19. He tells us that the pumpkin is a special Italian version which they source from only one farm in the north. Again we can’t fault the quality of the pasta and the filling is slightly sweet, complemented by the crunch of the toasted hazelnuts.

Now to Pasta Fresca and we choose seafood again with Calamarata, prawns, clams, Dorset mussels, tomato & white wine sauce £20. The thick pasta rests on a bed of clams and mussels and is topped with a couple of large prawns. There’s cosy kick to the tomato sauce, but it doesn’t overwhelm the delicate freshness of the seafood.

So now we should really stop eating, as the pasta has been almost sufficient. However, in the line of duty, we have to try the Fillet steak, beef reduction, sautéed spinach, fries £38. Cooked medium rare, the meat is arrayed in slices around the spinach, and is suitably tender. A side of Chilli & garlic braised cavolo nero £7 gives us an extra burst of green.

Finally, Dolci, which our waiter has emphasised we must keep room for. Hazelnut tiramisu. Maldon Salt, salted caramel £9 takes a while but the chef always makes it to order. It’s a wonderful cream and coffee mix, topped with hazelnuts for a little added crunch. Torta, diplomatica cream, berries compote £9 features layers of redcurrant, custard and cream with a final dollop of compote on top. It gets my vote.

I always think that Italian tourists in London get a raw deal when I see them visiting any of the anodyne restaurant chains that populate the West End.  They’re phased by the ranged of exotic cuisines on offer so choose the Italian food they know.  Unfortunately, they’re almost always bound to be disappointed but not if they dine at Tortello, the exception which proves the rule.

Verdict

In a calm, refined environment, with views of Hyde Park, Tortello offers high quality Italian food with excellent service. It’s also very good value.

Tortello Lancaster Terrace, London, United Kingdom W2 2TY

020 7101 7640,[email protected]

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