Mortimer House Kitchen

37-41 Mortimer St, London, W1T 3JH Telephone: 020 7139 4404

On a corner of Fitzrovia, just up from Oxford Street, sits Mortimer House Kitchen, a charming Italian restaurant, lounge and bar, that provides a homely place to enjoy all that Chef, Tom Cenci, is conjuring up.

Open from early in the morning for breakfast, to late at night for that final drink before wending your way home, Mortimer House Kitchen has something for everyone.

The décor is warm, and has the feel of entering someone’s front room, that makes you feel very welcome from the start. The front room vibe gives way as you move deeper into the restaurant, as you then reach the wooden tables set out for dinner and the open kitchen at the end where the chefs efficiently create the fresh dishes inspired by family summers spent in Orta San Giulio and the Amalfi coast. The order of the day here is simple dishes done well, and this certainly resonates with me, as what better thing is there than fresh pasta cooked well, covered in sauces bursting with flavour?

To accompany our pre-dinner drink we selected a few nibbles, which are also available at the bar, in the form of a Crispy Polenta with parmesan mayonnaise (£3 per piece) and a Parmesan Biscotto, Taleggio and Olive (£3 per piece).

Polenta is a traditional Italian dish made from cornmeal, water and salt, and from that description it doesn’t make my heartbeat increase, but at Mortimer House Kitchen it is actually very creamy and flavoursome and surrounded by a light and crispy breadcrumb shell and covered with a generous portion of fresh parmesan shavings. The Parmesan Biscotto is crunchy, and its cheesy flavour complemented the fruity tang of the Taleggio cheese.

For our Antipasti, we selected the Caprese, Tomato, Avocado, Stracciatella (£15) and the Carne Cruda, N’duja, Bruschetta (£16). The caprese salad was vibrant with a number of different coloured tomatoes, and was so fresh every mouthful was like a touch of summer. And for those, like me, that thought that stracciatella was an ice cream flavour, it is, but here it is a creamy cheese originating in Puglia and is from the same family as burrata. My carne cruda combined a lean and tender beef tartare with a light crispy bread, a lovely contrast of textures, and the succulent beef was well flavoured with garlic and fresh olive oil.

For our Primi, I selected Nonna’s Beef and Oregano Meatballs with Spaghetti, Marinara (£25) and my wife the Maccheroni, Taleggio, Black Pepper and Truffle (£25). The meatballs are a family recipe from Chef Tom’s grandmother, and were rich and meaty (as all meatballs should be!) sitting on a bed of fresh pasta covered in a garlic, olive oil, tomato and basil sauce, something I wish my grandmother would have served me! My wife’s Italian take on a mac ‘n’ cheese was fulsome, but I would have wished that there was a little more luxurious truffle flavour coming through as that would have elevated the dish even more. www.mortimerhousekitchen.com

Our Secondi dishes were the Chicken Parmigiana, Marinara Sauce (£27) and the Cornish Cod, Butter Bean and Agretti Stew (£28), with a side portion of confit rosemary potatoes (£6). The Parmigiana was just perfect with the succulent chicken covered in crunchy breadcrumbs and topped with oodles of mozzarella smothered in a rich tomato sauce. My cod was well cooked and perched on top of large creamy-coloured beans with their soft floury texture, and fronds of agretti, with their spinach like taste, in a fishy broth.

After this many courses we decided to share a dessert, and selected the Torta 900, Nutella Ricotta (£9), a sort of millefeuille with the pastry replaced by fudgy chocolate sponge, sandwiching a smooth mousse - a chocoholics dream.

Mortimer House Kitchen provides simple and tasty Italian dishes in a warm and homely environment at affordable prices, and is the perfect place to either drop in for one course during the day, or to go with friends for a meal in the evening. Either way you will enjoy all it has to offer.