What: Calici
In a nutshell: Neighbourhood Italian restaurant and wine bar takes over from XO
Summing it all up: New to Belsize Lane is Calici - a neighbourhood Italian restaurant with wine bar, serving up regional, modern dishes, making their own pasta, and going big on Italian wine.
The low-down
Belsize Park is getting a new neighbourhood Italian restaurant and wine bar. Calici is taking over the spot on Belsize Lane that was previously XO, and it's bringing a combo of regional Italian dishes and top wine with it.
Andrea Casasola (ex-Piccolino) is the man behind it - and he's teamed up with wine importing and distribution company True Terroir Ltd so you can expect the wine list to be as on point as the menu. They're promising 200 wines in total, including 70 by the glass. So you can pop in for a glass of wine and a snack in the ground floor bar or stay for a bigger meal. Going with a bigger group? Then the downstairs dining room will be the place for you.
Head Chef Enzo Bucema comes here via Paesan in Exmouth Market. His menu will roam around Italy, with the restaurant serving up dishes like charcoal-grilled octopus and Tyrrhenian tuna and Bardato con Pancetta (Rare breed Yorkshire pork fillet with cured pancetta) alongside a range of pasta dishes, made on-site including:
- Linguine al Ragu’ di Coniglio - slow-cooked free-range Dorset rabbit
- Pappardelle Salsiccia and Funghi - Tuscan fennel sausage and wild mushroom sauce
- Tortelloni Burrata e Tartufo - with truffle and burrata in a mushroom cream sauce
As for dessert - well there are several accounts of who was responsible for making the first tiramisu. A small group believe it originated in Carnia from chef and hotelier Norma Piella. Andrea learned how to make it from Norma herself, so the one here ought to be pretty good.
More about Calici
Where is it? 29 Belsize Lane, Belsize Village, London NW3 5AS
When does it open? 20 September 2019
How to book: Call 020 7435 9888
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @calici_restaurant
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