PADELLA PASTA

Having weekdays off work has it’s perks, and I decided to take the opportunity to pop down to Padella for their much talked about pasta.
We are sat by the window, along the lovely marble counter, with a view of the ever-growing queue outside.

I ordered a glass of Chiaretto Rosé 2015, wishing that it was summer again, whilst WK had the Aperol Spritz, that I ended up helping to finish – because that’s what friends are for.

The food menu, listed on a single sheet, is pretty brief and straight-forward: Antipasti, Pasta and Pudding.

We started with the Burrata with Puglian olive oil which was soft and creamy, and the Salame “Lovison” that had a nice balance of lean meat and white fat and a nice peppery taste. I was really tempted to order the Padella sourdough bread as well but I held back to save space for the pasta.

Being slightly over-ambitious, we decided to try four pasta dishes between the two of us – I don’t eat pasta that often so I like to go all out and indulge myself every now and again …

The tagliatelle with smoked eel and Amalfi lemon was my favourite – tasty pieces of eel playing hide and seek in between ribbons of pasta that were cooked al dente, all mixed together in a sauce that was creamy yet not too heavy.

The Pici cacio & pepe was one on my list to order after I had seen it appear numerous times on my Instagram- a thick, hand-rolled pasta that originated from Tuscany made from just flour and water. Kind of like irregular shaped fat spaghetti with a denser texture, simply coated in a cheese and pepper sauce – simple and delicious.
I do love pappardelle and this was stirred together with rich and comforting Dexter beef shin ragu.
The tagliatelle with nduja is definitely one for those who love a spicy kick in their food. As someone who can tolerate a reasonable amount of heat in my food, you can be sure that this is not for the untrained tongue – interesting, but I personally preferred the other pasta dishes. 

You’d think that we would have been too stuffed to have dessert, but a meal just feels incomplete without something sweet to finish off …
There were three choices from which we selected two: a classic chocolate tart that was seriously indulgent, and an Affogato.

We went for an early lunch, arriving just a few minutes before they opened at 12noon, and there was already a queue forming outside, so I would definitely recommend going early or popping in for a late lunch, or an early dinner whichever suits you best …

Prompt service, good food and affordable prices – I envy those who live/work close-by

I’ll definitely be back for more pici, despite their ‘squiggly worm’ appearance (it’s the taste that matters!), and will finally book myself in for a visit to their original Trullo branch.

So much food, so little time. 

Padella is one of many great venues in London that offer counter dining, giving diners a different experience: catch the chefs in action in the kitchen, and if you’re lucky, you can avoid the queues of people who prefer table seating. I do enjoy a bit of counter dining, especially if I’m dining out solo, and it’s good to see that more places/people are embracing this culture.

You can read more about Bookatable’s latest campaign, The Counter Dining Revolution here.

The Cheekster, signing out x

The meal was complimentary, but views remain my own.

Padella Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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2 Comments

  1. October 18, 2016 / 11:38 am

    I went to Borough Market on Saturday and the queue was huge for this place – it's getting such great write ups, I really want to try it.

  2. October 18, 2016 / 8:35 pm

    Ooo, yea I assume weekends would be a nightmare to get in! I'd definitely recommend a visit :p

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