A classic Italian Restaurant on Heddon Street
Today, I have good reason to be cheerful, as I’m going to Heddon Street for dinner at Piccolino; for those of you who know Heddon Street, you will understand, for those of you who are unaware of this little street tucked away behind Regent Street, I will explain. Heddon Street is a foodie’s paradise, and as I mentioned, it’s hidden behind Regents Street, and its flagship stores and pavements full of shoppers.
While I have nothing against shopping, give me a street full of restaurants anyday.
Heddon Street has a calmness about it that Regent Street does not. It is a pedestrian street full of restaurants, bars, and a pub. On a sunny day or warm evening, you could be eating out in a small Mediterranean village not 50 metres away from one of the busiest shopping areas of London.
Piccollino proudly sits in the middle of the “U” shaped street; this well-known Italian restaurant has a large outside seating area and impressive frontage; other cuisines to populate Heddon Street are Spanish, Portuguese, Asian noodle bar, Australian cafe and Gordon Ramsay restaurant, which I think you can best be describe a British/European cuisine. These restaurants are soon to be joined by an upmarket Mexican restaurant.
There is also a pub next door to Piccolino called The Starman. It is named after David Bowie, who used Heddon Street as a backdrop for photos for his Ziggy Stardust album.
Hopefully, you get the picture on Heddon Street, but from now its about my meal at Piccolino. As I mentioned, Piccolino serves Italian food and has restaurants across England. Anyhow, it’s no surprise to regular readers that I’m in Mayfair for my experience of Piccolino. This will be my second visit to this restaurant.
Restaurant
As I mentioned, Piccolino does look impressive from the outside. It has a large terrace with heaters that would be a great people-watching spot. Alas, it is early March, and my preffered choice is to dine inside.
The decor inside is equally impressive. The room’s centrepiece is a large chandelier, giving a rose-gold glow that luminates the whole dining area.
The restaurant is large but retains a cosy feel, helped by the softness of wood panelling and clever lighting. A large bar area along that stretches along the back wall along with an open kitchen.
Downstairs is a Ciccheti bar which doubles into a private dining area.
Menu
The menu includes classic Italian dishes such as antipasti, pasta, meats, fish pizza, and desserts. If I’m honest, thats the way I like the menu in an Italian restaurant: not too many surprises, and it’s all about the food. The other thing I really like is that whatever your culinary mood is, you will generally be able to satisfy it with Italian cuisine.
There is a comprehensive wine list with wines starting at under £30.00 per bottle.
Antipasti
I started with Tartare Di Tonno (Yellowfin tuna tartare, fennel, chives, olive tapenade), served with a crisp Sardinian flatbread. This was a lovely way to start any meal, the freshness of the Tuna Tartare shining through and complimenting the aniseed flavour from the fennel and texture from the flatbread.
Anstipasti (2)
I’m flying solo on this review, so I wanted bring you an additional starter option, any excuse. I went with Bruschetta Gamberoni (King prawns, chilli & lemon on toasted ciabatta), a clever twist on the traditional tomato version. I find bypassing prawns on any menu difficult, and this prawn was delightfully cooked. Add to that a little chilli hit that always works well with prawns.
Pasta
Any Italian meal is incomplete without Pasta, so I’ve gone classic with Taglioni Al Tartufo dish. (Fresh thin egg pasta, truffle & Parmesan sauce, fresh truffle). Sometimes less in more, which is so true with Pasta; just three ingredients in this dish, they are the perfect match.
Main Course
With three courses down, I have chosen Duck in the form of Anatra All’Arancia for my main course. Crispy slow-cooked duck, Grand Marnier & orange sauce, and charred broccoli. You don’t often see duck on the menu in Italian restaurants, so hats off to Piccolino’s for adding one to the menu. It was a clever Italian twist on the French classic duck ’l’orange.
Slow-cooked duck is always a treat. The sauce really made this dish, and I liked the slices of fresh orange sitting below the sauce to add freshness. Overall, it was an excellent choice for my main course.
A quick note to any Italian chefs reading this: add a Duck dish to your menu.
Dessert
I took an extended break after my savoury treats.
But the dessert menu was soon in my hands in the name of research. Although the dessert menu had some tempting options, I decided something light was the order of the day.
However, on another day, I would have been tempted by Panettone bread and butter pudding, but eventually decided to go with Crema Caramellata—a baked caramel custard with rum-poached prunes and vanilla cream.
It was a light and delicious dessert, and the prunes added a nice alcohol kick to the sweet caramel and cream—the perfect way to end my meal.
So, what are my final thoughts on my visit to Piccolino’s? The restaurant is a lovely space, and makes you feel very comfortable in. The staff created a friendly, relaxed atmosphere whilst providing excellent service.
I liked the subtle twists on some classic dishes on the menu. However, the key to a good Italian restaurant is to get the basics right, and judging by my experience, they passed this test with flying colours.
Address
21 Heddon Street, Mayfair, London, W1B 4BG
Bookings and Menus
