Come to Alberto Pagano’s Ristorante Cappuccetto and enjoy a rustic taste of Italy in the heart of London

THIS small Italian restaurant is in the heart of Theatreland – the triangle of Cambridge Circus/Charing Cross and Shaftesbury Avenue. Its rustic atmosphere with Italian memorabilia on shelves and walls and its tall wooden chairs and square tables make you feel you are in your grandmother’s kitchen somewhere in a small town in Tuscany.
An exhibition fridge with colourful home made cakes next to a tiny bar full of specially carved wooden kettles (see below) divide the restaurant in two rooms. They bake everything in the premises and Alberto Pagano, the owner, is proud of the genuine quality of the recipes of old Italian favourites such as osso buco alla Milanese (Knuckles of veal cooked in a tomato and red wine sauce served with rice – £10.50); Spaghetti aglio e olio (£ 4.95) with garlic a touch of chilli and extra virgin olive oil; Fettucine all’alfredo (£5.25) fresh cream sauce, thin strips of ham and a dash of tomato; Fusilli al tonno (£5.50) pasta quills served with garlic and tuna and Penne all’arrabiata pasta quills service in a hot, spicy sauce.
They have a large selection of veal dishes — ten of them in the menu: Vitello al limone (Veal escalopes pan-fried in butter and lemon juice – £9.50); Saltimboca alla Romana (Veal escalopes pan-fried in butter, white wine and sage topped with ham – £10.90); Vitello Monte Rosa (Veal escalopes cooked in wine and fresh cream sauce, mushrooms and a dash of tomato – £9.85); Nodino di Vitello al vino bianco (Veal chop cooked in white wine sauce – £14.50).
Other specialities: Salciccie con polenta (100 per cent Italian sausages cooked in wild mushrooms sauce served with polenta – £10.50); Fegato di vitello alla salvia (Calf liver cooked in a white wine sauce and sage – £12.50); Lumache all’Aglio (£7.50) Snails served in garlic butter; Scampi alla sorrentina (£l3.50) – Prawns cooked in tomato sauce scented with garlic and oregano; Orata alla griglia (£l5.50 – Grilled sea bream with rosemary and garlic; Pollo alla cappuccetto (£l0.70 – breaded chicken breast cooked in Marsala wine and mushroom sauce); Pollo sorpresa (with cheese, ham and garlic butter stuffing £10.90); Risotto con pesce (Rice cooked with dash of tomato, prawns, calamari and scampi £6.50).
We started with the Trenette al pesto (handmade pasta cooked with French beans, potato cubes served with pesto sauce – £5.95). Pesto is one of my favourite sauces and this one is simply delicious – Alberto shares his secret: fresh basil leaves, pine kernels, olive oil and garlic. Their olive oil is home grown, which perhaps accounts for the delicious taste of the sauce. They have about 120 olives trees in Tuscany which give them enough oil for the restaurant’s consumption. This includes bottles for the tables to which they add chillies and rosemary. No bottled ketchup, instead pressed very ripe peeled cooked tomatoes for the sauce.
Pizza was invented in Naples, Alberto tells me. Pizza Margarita for example was named after Queen Margarita of Italy and it was Catherine de Medici from Tosca who introduced it to France. But I am more interested in having a grilled sea bass and large prawns accompanied by a glass of Cesari Pino Grigio Delle Venezie 2004. On the back of the bottle, the label suggests what this wine goes well with.
A good idea which should be perhaps adopted by more wine growers. Sat at the only booth in the restaurant I spot an acquaintance – a well-known empresario who seems equally pleased with his choice of lunch. The food is excellent with ample portions and good presentation.
For dessert I asked for an old favourite of mine: Zabaione/Zabaglione/Zabajone but whichever way you write it nowadays you hardly see it in the menu. In fact it is not on Cappuccetto’s menu either but, when possible, they will prepare to order. Well I am crazy about the ‘Z’ dessert which arrives fluffy and warm in a tall glass (egg yolks whipped with marsala wine over a light heat).
I stop here making a mental note to return one evening when I will order la Coppa dell’amicizia from the Italian Alps. A marvellous way to end a dinner is this mixture of hot coffee, grappa, orange peel Cointreau and other ingredients served in a solid piece of mahogany hand-carved kettle for two, four, six or eight to share. Or choose from their speciality coffees: Irish, Tia Maria, Brandy, Amaretto, or Sambuca coffee. Or just a Sambuca but insist they light the floating coffee beans on top. It is essential to book for dinner before and after theatre.

Ristorante Cappuccetto
8 Moor Street, W1
020 7437 9472
Opening hours
Mon-Sun
12pm - 11.30pm
www.cappuccetto.co.uk
Email: alb@cappuccetto.co.uk