Nipotina: Mayfair’s Answer to Homely Tuscan Dining
The squeaky-clean streets of Mayfair are home to a wealth of embellished restaurants. It does expensive lighting, crisp tablecloths and highly perfumed bathrooms well. But homely, authentic dining? Not so well- writes SEELE contributor Ella Mapes
Changes are etching into the polished rungs of Mayfair. The move of Crisp pizza to Mayfair is a sign that its highbrow, segregated walls can no longer hold in a modern London. Crisp - renowned for its incredibly crisp pizza - has become a superstar in the London food scene. This is down to two factors: one, it is undeniably delicious, and two, there is a face behind the name. It has human character, its recipes designed in a kitchen, rather than a shareholders’ boardroom. Nipotina - a Tuscan style restaurant, boasts the same qualities.
This isn’t to say Nipotina has the rustic charm of an Italian taverna. Nipotina is undeniably glam. Yet there’s a real comfort to be derived from its menu. Nipotina kisses you with flavours from Central Italy. It is both hearty and delicate.
Carpaccio trio | Photo Credit: Ella Mapes
We start off with a trio of carpaccio, sunset tinged slivers of buttery, cured tuna, sea bream and salmon. A fennel, rocket, pecorino and caramelised walnut salad made a very good accompaniment.
Primi, we enjoyed a lobster ravioli with a tomato vodka sauce. I always hesitate over lobster and ravioli. It is a flavour combination so many chefs get drastically wrong. In many cases, it is a hate crime against the lobster. Not in this instance. The tomato vodka sauce was mellow, and had a nutty sweetness that paired wonderfully alongside the lobster.
Lobster Ravioli | Photo Credit: Ella Mapes
Octopus tentacle in salsa verde | Photo Credit: Ella Mapes
For mains, a kraken-sized octopus tentacle arrived, swimming in salsa verde. It was, in all honesty, rather intimidating. Octopus-lovers should flock to order it. The dish was simple, fresh - there were no overcrowding flavours. Just fantastic produce, cooked well. The lamb cutlets were also delicious, although the presence of mash made the dish feel slightly out of place with the rest of the menu. This, I imagine, is Nipotina’s attempt to appease the more British-borne palates. I would advise sticking to the foods the Tuscans do best.
Crisp Ricotta | Photo Credit: Ella Mapes
Desserts arrived wheeled out on an old-school desert tray, filled with metal cloches. As a Matilda fan, I couldn’t help but hope a waiter might take a tumble, drag the whole table cloth down, so that one dessert may land perfectly centred on my plate, spoon and all. This didn’t happen. Instead, I accepted my dessert with a dignified ‘thank you’. But perhaps a small, crisp ricotta tart doesn’t need much of a performance. The show was in the eating, modest as it was.
Nipotina has an unmistakable level of ‘bouje’ to it. Yet its food is unfussy, simple. And, most importantly, it has soul. In Mayfair, this is priceless.
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49 S Audley St W1K 2QD London (Mayfair) | Phone +44020-3893-8000MONDAY TO SATURDAY: A La Carte - 12pm - 10:15pm | Lunch Set Menu - 12pm - 5:30pm | Dinner Set Menu - 5:30 pm - 10:15pm | Aperitivo - 3pm - 7pmSUNDAY: A La Carte - 12pm - 9pm | Italian Sunday Roast - 12pm - 5:30pm | Lunch Set Menu - 12pm - 5:30pm | Dinner Set Menu - 5:30 pm - 9pm | Aperitivo - 3pm - 7pm