Fay Maschler reviews Bocca di Lupo

 
Making his mark: head chef of Bocca di Lupo Jacob Kenedy trained at Moro, whose owners Sam and Samantha Clark described him as 'a formidable presence in the kitchen'
11 April 2014

Bocca di Lupo is not the greatest restaurant name I’ve come across — it means mouth of the wolf — but just maybe there are some people out there who don’t know that lupo, the wolf, surrogate mother to Romulus and Remus, is the symbolic mother of ancient Rome. A silhouette of a wolf howling at the moon is used for the logo and that does sit quite well in Archer Street, deep in what you might call hardcore Soho.

The phrase bocca di lupo apparently has other colloquial meanings but let’s not bother with more info from the press release. As with most restaurant years when there is a tendency — mainly thanks to architects and builders — for some of the best to be saved for last, so it is with 2008. Chef Jacob Kenedy and general manager Victor Hugo’s new Italian venture is, to put no finer a point on it, absolutely spiffing.

Both Kenedy and Hugo have worked at Moro where, about 10 years ago at the age of 18, Kenedy asked the owners for a job. Sam and Samantha Clarke responded to his enthusiasm, drive and obvious passion for food and say he was "a formidable presence in the kitchen". He also helped with the Moro cookery books, which are notably inspiring and useful in the doubtful genre of restaurant-inspired recipes.

Kenedy’s own restaurant is a literal showcase for his talents as he works behind a long Carrara marble bar which seats about 20 diners. Further on is the dining room lit by a huge circular chandelier and furnished with bare tables with an agreeable ink-stained school desk look to the wood. On the wall still lifes focus on ingredients. In one a woman is trimming an artichoke, which I interpreted as a sign to order fritto Romano, that particular way of deep-frying a whole artichoke into what looks like a crunchy chrysanthemum and pairing it with veal sweetbreads.

As with most of the dishes, fritto Romano can be served as a small or large plate. The menu is divided in this manner, obviating the need for first and main course decisions — it is possible and absolutely desirable simply to share many items. A stack of small white plates in the centre of each table helps with the practicalities.

Dishes we loved included an Umbrian salad of shaved black radish, celeriac and Pecorino dressed with pomegranate seeds and truffle oil; Sicilian spaghettini with lobster, mussels and ginger — the inclusion of ginger is a masterstroke; pork and foie gras sausage with farro and porcini from Trentino; Sicilian rack of lamb with caponata — fantastic meat and a tactful version of the sweet-sour vegetable stew; Roman spinach which comes chilled with lemon and oil or hot with hot chilli, the version we chose.

The practically sat-nav understanding of Italian culinary regions doesn’t let up with desserts. Cassata Siciliana —ricotta, orange and chocolate layered with sponge cake and marzipan — was topped with a luscious lemon icing that reminded me of the cakes that used to be served in Fuller’s teashops. So that region called Nostalgia was also visited. Taleggio from Lombardy served with fennel, grape and rosehip honey salad is a brilliant combo.

Waiting staff led by Victor Hugo are the opposite of his namesake’s famous work Les Misérables: they are adept and cheerful. A proportion of the comprehensive Italian wine list is offered by the glass and 500ml carafe and even coffee has been minutely considered. The management is "proud to serve Caffe Sant’Eustachio which is wood-roasted by an artisan producer in the centre of Rome". The mouth of the customer anyway is well assuaged here.

Bocca Di Lupo
Archer Street, London, W1D 7BB

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