Toto's is a new Italian restaurant coming to Knightsbridge.
It's name comes from the legendary Italian clown Totò, but with Silvano Giraldin acting as consultant for front-of-house we won't be expecting much clowning around here.
What you need to know about Toto's
1. Who's in charge? The Head Chef is Stefano Stecca, previously of Novikov, Zafferano and Brunello at the Baglioni while General Manager Enrico Molino will be looking after the front of house. He's been appointed by a consultant to the restaurant, the fairly legendary Silvano Giraldin, best known for his exemplary service when he was General Manager at Le Gavroche.
2. How will it look? The restaurant used to be an artist’s studio and we're told that it is "alleged to have once been the home of Winston Churchill’s aunt" although we're not sure what her Italian cooking was like. They have apparently retained as much of the original look as possible, including the wine cellar, double-height ceilings, and the heritage-listed oak fireplace (something to remember next winter).
There will also be a separate bar with banquette seating and a garden courtyard which will be somewhere to try out the cigars from the restaurant's humidor..
3. What kind of food and drink will it serve? The restaurant promises to "offer simple but refined Italian dishes with a focus on seasonality, provenance and flavour, and will be complemented by a list of approximately 250 wines, representing all regions of Italy, and a selection of sparkling wine, spumanti and Champagne".
The bar, meanwhile, will be serving cicchetti and classic cocktails.
4. Where is it? Walton House, Walton Street, London SW3 2JH
5. And when does it open? May 2014
For more information, visit their website totosrestaurant.com.
