Mamma Mia
Sharon Grealey11/11/2009 9:54:00 a.m.
Zico Cucina and Bar, 8 Courtenay Place.
ZICO Cucina and Bar is hands-down superiore.
My date labelled the food “incredible, some of the best Italian I’ve had”, second only to a Ravioli dish made for him by an Italian mamma in Milan, who spent eight hours meticulously rolling her dough by hand.
That’s no small feat for a cosy little restaurant on the other side of the world.
After being welcomed into the buzzing room and shown to our candle-lit table in the corner, we gorged ourselves on an Antipasto Di Pesce.
As avid seafood lovers, we couldn’t ask for more than the fresh salmon, prawns, autentico squid rings, shellfish and succulent scallops.
It was a melt-in-your-mouth, fresh-from-the-sea, and downright satisfying way to start a night.
I selected the Agnello con Pepe Verde for a main, and the juicy lamb pancakes arrived on a bed of Italian-style potato mash, which was infused with fresh vegetables.
The lamb was perfection, and dripped with the cream, brandy and green pepper corn sauce. It was so delicious I couldn’t speak.
This was no problem for my date, who ordered an equally amazing meal in the form of Scaloppine al Marsala.
I begged for a bite. Soft and tender, it was complemented by the mashed potato and cream sauce, and had hints of a caramel flavour.
The friendly waiter, the son of the owner, suggested we leave the dessert in his hands and commissioned the chef make us a special surprise.
I knew it was a great decision when a crepe filled with chocolate fettuccine, drizzled in a homemade sauce and accompanied by semi-frozen hokey-pokey ice cream arrived.
You can’t ask for more than that – but we got it, in the form of a thick and steamy homemade hot chocolate. I don’t think I can get any other kind of hot chocolate again.
ZICO Cucina and Bar is hands-down superiore.
My date labelled the food “incredible, some of the best Italian I’ve had”, second only to a Ravioli dish made for him by an Italian mamma in Milan, who spent eight hours meticulously rolling her dough by hand.
That’s no small feat for a cosy little restaurant on the other side of the world.
After being welcomed into the buzzing room and shown to our candle-lit table in the corner, we gorged ourselves on an Antipasto Di Pesce.
As avid seafood lovers, we couldn’t ask for more than the fresh salmon, prawns, autentico squid rings, shellfish and succulent scallops.
It was a melt-in-your-mouth, fresh-from-the-sea, and downright satisfying way to start a night.
I selected the Agnello con Pepe Verde for a main, and the juicy lamb pancakes arrived on a bed of Italian-style potato mash, which was infused with fresh vegetables.
The lamb was perfection, and dripped with the cream, brandy and green pepper corn sauce. It was so delicious I couldn’t speak.
This was no problem for my date, who ordered an equally amazing meal in the form of Scaloppine al Marsala.
I begged for a bite. Soft and tender, it was complemented by the mashed potato and cream sauce, and had hints of a caramel flavour.
The friendly waiter, the son of the owner, suggested we leave the dessert in his hands and commissioned the chef make us a special surprise.
I knew it was a great decision when a crepe filled with chocolate fettuccine, drizzled in a homemade sauce and accompanied by semi-frozen hokey-pokey ice cream arrived.
You can’t ask for more than that – but we got it, in the form of a thick and steamy homemade hot chocolate. I don’t think I can get any other kind of hot chocolate again.
