I was looking for a good lunch spot near Harrods and came across Osteria Romana. A small osteria hidden down a small lane. Upon entry, the place felt like it could be in Italy. To me, good Italian food is simple and uncomplicated. The ingredients and technique are the stars. This place delivers.
The first thing I noticed was the wheel of Pecorino Romano, the truffles, fresh basil plants on each table and the Pancetta:
These are consistent with what I wrote about yesterday – having a story and attention to detail (and passion). When I asked about the hand sliced pancetta, the server proudly told me it came directly from Rome, the history, and region. It was a pleasure to watch the slicing:
The dish was served warm with a simple slice of lemon. It was heavenly. The crunch and fat from the skin, and the well seasoned meat offset by the acidity from the lemon was fantastic.
The next visual treat was seeing our server trim some fresh basil into olive oil and presenting it as a dip for some bread.
Next came the pasta. The carbonara was ok, but the star was the truffle pasta tossed in the pecorino wheel.
Sometimes, truffle dishes fall flat and the truffle flavors dont come through. This dish had wonderful truffle flavors. The kind where each spoonful made me speechless. I just wanted to reflect on everything going on in my mouth!
Overall, service, food and ambiance was amazing. I will definitely go back when in London and wanting Italian food.