Italian for Brunch

It’s not every day you meet a Michelin-star chef. Not hysterically screaming after catching a glimpse some 50-metres away, but to be within talking distance, and most importantly, taking a selfie.

All thanks to the cohort of lovely PRs, one such event filled up the Saturday afternoon rectangle in my black Moleskine diary last week, much to the envy of my peers. The unfinished problem sheets got pushed to the bottomless black hole in the back of my mind, and off I went to a pasta making master-class at Theo’s Simple Italian, a new restaurant tucked on the ground floor of Hotel Indigo, a stone’s throw from Earl’s Court tube station.

Theo Randall was a well-respected head chef at The River Café for over 15 years, earning a Michelin star for the restaurant, then leaving to launch his own restaurant, Theo Randall at the Intercontinental in 2006. Theo now also serves as the Culinary Director at Theo’s Simple Italian. The restaurant also commits to inspire diners to recreate the simple Italian food at home, featuring an Italian deli selling seasonal produce, fine ingredients and artisan products.

Where was I? Yes, crossing the road in my stiff navy duffle coat, and up the steps into the classy yet relaxed atmosphere, adorned by marble tables, leather chairs and warm ceiling lights. I entered the spacious private room, and was greeted by a few familiar blogger faces, a glass of prosecco and Theo Randall himself, chatting cheerily in the corner.

The master class started soon after the introduction. We were led to a cosy area tucked in the back of the room. A wooden table stood on one side, with a few ingredients plus a shiny table top pasta machine clamped firmly on top. Theo unwrapped the bright yellow pasta dough he had prepared beforehand while telling us stories of his experiences in Italy, how ricotta is made and his special pasta recipe. He rolled out the dough in the machine, folded and rolled out again and again. His hand was constantly on the handle, turning as quickly as a turbine. The once clay-like dough magically transformed into a thin spread of smooth silk, which was swiftly cut into a handful of thread-like taglierini. The rest of the dough was made into ravioli, like soft cushions resting on the green cutting board. After a round of amazed gasps and questions, we sat ourselves along the long tables, ready to be served the new four-course brunch menu. An antipasti platter, starring 4 types of cured meats from Naples, Piedmont, and Florence, and a glossy globe of Apulian burrata on a bed of rocket and roasted cherry tomatoes was shared amongst four along with some soft rosemary and sea salt focaccia. The 3 pasta dishes for primi aroused excitement across the tables as we saw the fresh pasta made during the demonstration served before us. The ravioli, filled with a creamy light ricotta and rainbow chard, was cooked and tossed in a simple sage butter. The wide ribbons of papparadelle came coated with a full-bodied beef ragout and was quickly distributed around the table. The third, was the Taglierini Pascatore – generous portions of mussels, clams, prawns and fish in tomato sauce surrounded the fine laces of pasta, which soaked up the strong fishy flavours from the seafood, perhaps too strong for a few on my table but was essential to become my favourite dish out of all three.

The secondi also featured 3 dishes. The Tagliata di Manzo was a chargrilled bavette of beef, served in slices that reveal the beautiful, juicy, pink, medium-rare meat with a dressed hedge of peppery rocket, borlotti beans and roasted cherry tomatoes. The fish dish starred a portion of sea bream, with its skin pan fried to a crispy golden yellow, served with roasted tomatoes and delicious colourful strips of grilled vegetables. The pork t-bone was another of my favourites, with slices of succulent, juicy pork on top of perfectly cooked rainbow chard and Portobello mushrooms, saturated with the wonderful juices from the pork and the drizzling of gravy.

Dessert, or should I say dolci, is the course all ladies look forward to in a meal, and this was no exception despite our near-exploding stomachs by the end of the secondi. It was an attractive platter of tiramisu, a baked ricotta cheesecake and soft chocolate cake with a scoop of vanilla gelato. The tiramisu was amazing – a fellow blogger even described it to be better than her mother’s. The cheesecake, baked rather than fridge-set, was light and mellow in flavour, pairing well with the strips of pear on top. The chocolate cake was pure indulgence – rich, dense and moist, almost like a fudge cake.

This brunch menu was truly satisfying for the taste buds and the stomach. The dishes, from antipasti all the way through to dolci, maintained the simplicity and authentic flavours from Italy, and brought out the best from the top-quality ingredients. Just fuss-free, delicious food reflecting Theo and his team’s expertise and effort, supported by a beautiful, chilled-out setting and wonderful service. Highly recommended.