BANGLE MAG - Magazine - Page 14
L O N D O N ’S K N I G H T S B R I D G E G A I N E D
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B A N G L E M A G I N V E S T I G A T E S T H E B E S T S P O T S F O R
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S A L E E P E P E
Tucked just behind the station, on the other side of Hooper’s Court, you’ll find
an unexpectedly intimate old-school Italian with plenty of character. Amongst
Sale e Pepe’s many celebrated patrons, Sir Rod Stewart is perhaps the most iconic.
Along with Bryan Adams and Sting, he gave us All For Love, as part of The Three
Musketeers soundtrack, for which we must be forever grateful.
And in SW1X, a lot is happening for love - specifically, the love of authentic
Italian food. Sale e Pepe: salt and pepper. Here we have old school glamour paired
with hip waiting staff; marble-topped counters and neon signage; modernist art
and continental jazz.
In the 1970s, this super chic ristorante was the place to be invisible, and its
low-key intimacy is still palpable today. That said, you’ll come for the food, not
just the vibe. On arrival, a glass of Rotari Brut is not to be missed. I wouldn’t
usually make tasting notes against bar snacks, but as I waited for my (very, very
late) guest to arrive, I couldn’t help noticing this fizz’s apple-fresh acidity pair
beautifully with the sweetness of unpitted olives.
Italian food can be trying for the carb-avoidant, but there’s not a pizza in sight
at Sale e Pepe, and no shortage of protein-based options either. We were tempted
to skip antipasti and go straight to silky tuna carpaccio crudo, but couldn’t resist
the offer of grilled Galician octopus, given my companion’s predilection for these
slippery customers. Served as a whole tentacle, with puréed borlotti beans and
sweet paprika, we had few regrets. Umbrian chardonnay in hand, we moved
swiftly on to the royal caviar scallops. Spicy with a citrus kick, these opal gems
were doused in a fennel dressing, making them a hard act to follow.
The generous portion of Dover Sole would have been plenty to share by
this point, and yet we filled our boots with wild king prawns, rosemary-roasted
potatoes and new season asparagus, which was an event in itself. Chunky, short
and tender, these sautéed stems were full of intensity.
For dolci, the cheesecake alla ricotta was everything we’d hoped for, offering
depth and moreishness in abundance,.
Sale e Pepe,
9-15 Pavilion Rd,
London SW1X 0HD
Business lunches from £30pp
www.saleepepe.co.uk
14
THREE OF THE BEST ITALIAN
RESTAURANTS
