I had had my eye on this place for a while, because it was spoken of highly, and the last time I tried to get in, it was full. The web site at http://boccadilupo.com/ gives you a flavour of the place, but the booking button mainly functions for pre and post theatre dining, as it is very close to theatre land, being just off Shaftesbury Avenue. They are pretty hot on booking tables, and if you phone you can get one if you give them enough notice. So was it worth the fuss?
The menu which you can read on the web site is a mix of some classic and more regional dishes, but the cooks do not not limit themselves to one region or style. The interesting thing is that you can order small or large portions, and if you are into sharing, then you can order a tapas like meal of small dishes all of which are freshly cooked. If you want, you can sit at a counter, and watch the cooks at work. However, I prefer sitting at a table, and sometimes I just do not want to know about the preparation. So there is no typical starter main division, and the sequence in which it comes, unless you make it clear, could be random depending on the cooks and the workload. We went on a Wednesday night at 7.30 and it was packed.
Wanting to get an overview, we ordered a selection of small dishes, covering several taste options.
Calamari
Pasta in meat sauce
pasta with clams
King Prawns
Everything we had was well cooked, and hot enough being an 8 or 9 on the scale. Excellent stuff. For two good eaters, about 6 of the small dishes is necessary.
We also had a bottle of mid priced wine. I cannot remember what it was but it was definitely about the average, the the restaurant boasts its wine list as being first rate, and it probably was.
Altogether a very positive experience with a good upmarket atmosphere. Recommended.
