Vasco & Piero's Pavilion

I'd been really looking forward to visiting this restaurant after reading the many excellent reviews below. However, I was a little disappointed.

It wasn't that the food was bad - just severely underwhelming. My boyfriend's starter of ravioli was undercooked (to the point of being really chewy) and my ragu was pretty tasteless.

Our main courses were both tasty, but nothing particularly special. Clearly the restaurant prides itself in the simplicity and quality of it's ingredients, and I too thought that this could only be a good thing. I just felt that limiting a dish to just 3 ingredients really left it lacking in something. My lamb cutlets were well cooked, but that's really all they were - grilled cutlets with a tiny bit of rosemary. My boyfriend's cod was also well-cooked, but lacking in taste and flavour.

Overall, I would say that the food was well-cooked, but don't expect too much. At £30 for 3 courses I would say that (despite being a central London restaurant) it was a little over-priced. There are far better places elsewhere in Soho.
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Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 4
Tuesday, April 29, 2008

I've eaten at this restaurant several times now, and have always found the experience excellent and thoroughly enjoyable.

However, on Saturday evening just gone, a group of 5 of us visited the restaurant including members of our family who were visiting from abroad.

As expected, the food was excellent, but the service on this occasion was extremely poor.

We were served by the brother with the large moustache who was extremely gruff and unfriendly. When our food arrived, he more/less threw the plates of food down in front of each of us. Some of the waitresses were little better.

I wonder has this partner being doing this job too long; afterall it's a very established restaurant and has been around for years. If he's run out of steam, perhaps it's time to throw in the towel and call it a day!
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bern gorman
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Monday, April 14, 2008

Had lunch there recently. Good food. Good service. Definitely recommended.
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Mike W. January 2008
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, January 22, 2008

I went to lunch at Vasco & Piero's Pavilion with nine colleagues from work. The table had been booked about three weeks in advance and the restaurant phoned to confirm the booking in the morning.

The restaurant itself is not very big but not cramped either. The atmosphere was lovely and not too businessey/formal yet not casual.

The food and service was wonderful. As the menu's change twice a day, it's difficult to reccomend anything however, if you happen to be there when the Caropaccio is part of the starter, Sea bass for Mains and Pannacota with strawberries for dessert - then I would highly reccomend that.

I would like to point out that for 10 of us, our bill was average for a restaurant in the centre of London and included a 12% service charge. We were also charged a cover charge of £1.50 per head which not a lot per person however I don't why we were charged this and this did add an extra £15 onto the bill. A bit unnecessary.
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Debbie Aldous
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Thursday, January 17, 2008

Visited here for dinner yesterday and I should say from the start that I was very pleasantly surprised. Every table was taken and there was a good a mix of clientele, comprising both couples and large and small groups. The dining room is quite noisy, with waiters bustling about and barking orders accoss the room but to be honest that just seemed to help create a buzzy (typlically Italian?) atmosphere.

The food was very good indeed, with all the dishes seeming to stick to the simple but effective formula of using just three ingredients, but using them well. My starter of tagliatelle ragu was a little on the small side but the handmade pasta was superior to the normal dried stuff you get in many places, and the sauce was meaty enough to satisfy. My girlfriend's cured ham was also a treat, thinly sliced, salty morsels with a punchy lemon dressing.

King prawns as a main came wrapped in pancetta and courgette and had a robust smokiness which belied the simlpicity of the dish. My own main of thinly sliced calf's liver with braised cabbage and sauteed potatoes was really fantastic - a hearty portion, cooked to perfection.

Dessert was a push but we managed to share a plum compote which had the necessary sharpness needed to clean the palate ready for a pair of coffees.

The wine list is very accessible too, with 25 or so bottles starting at £15 and going up in increments of about 3 or 4 quid, so there is something for every depth of pocket. Add in a bottle of water and 12.5% s/c and the bill for two came in at £95 which I reckon to be exceptional value for such a good meal in a Soho location.

One small complaint is that the tables are infuriatingly close together, to the degree where we were effectively making a foursome with the couple next door. In a lesser establishment this might have been a problem but it was forgotten here once the food and the ambience took over. I will definitely be back.
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Russell
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Sunday, November 18, 2007

I have eaten at this restaurant severalt imes in the last few years, the most recent being the 19th July 2007. The atmosphere is typically Italian, buzzing and friendly.

The food is the best Italian I have eaten in the UK, and always is. Everything is totally fresh, with two new menus each day! I never want to eat anywhere else in London. So sad you have to have time off over Saturday lunch!

Gretta
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gretta
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, July 26, 2007

Booked only a day ahead and were lucky to get the last table. Restaurant was completely full, with a nice mix of people, very lively atmosphere. Very friendly staff, great fresh pasta, superb lamb!! Clear go!
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Fischerson96 - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Sunday, May 20, 2007

Good food. Good value for money. Good service. Perfect for pre-theatre/going out.
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Aaron
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Monday, December 04, 2006

wow, what a fantastic little place. in 16 years of london dining i hadn't come here to dine. what a shame. the fixed price menu is varied but straightforward. we started with the most sublime porcini with homemade pasta, and mixed grilled vegtables, mozarella and the parma ham. perfect. the mains offered lots of fish choices, but we opted for the slices of beef, and the duck. both delicious, especially the duck. leave room for a sweet. think think rich fudgy cake with vanilla ice creme, and a thing like a flan made with coffee, chocolate and armaretto. ok, it's not haute cuisine, but who cares? it was simply delicious food.

the atmosphere was very buzzy, but not noisy and overpowering. everyone we saw was enjoying themselves in everyway. we certainly did, and will be back very soon.
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karen kalaway
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, November 09, 2006

I booked the downstairs private room for a large party and was thrilled with the results.

We got there to find they had opened the downstairs bar for our own private use and the table was done beautifully, like being in somebody's home.

We had the set menu and the food was excellent, everybody was happy.

A lovely, friendly venue with fantastic food, right in the heart of Soho. Result!
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Katie
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, August 08, 2006