Locanda Locatelli

Was really looking forward to this meal as Georgio's book (Made in Italy) is an inspiration to me; have cooked many recipies from it.

Unfortunately, it was a big dsiappointment and I left feeling ripped-off to be honest. Big prices like this (we ended up getting away for £240 for two!) demand an experience to match. Also, uncomplicated food like this has to be perfectly executed. It wasn't.

We started with a couple of pasta courses. These were pretty good, but lacked the wow factor that we have experienced at other Michelin-starred places.

My partner went on to have a beef dish. Unfortunately they had left a piece of cooking string in it. Unforgiveable! Her comment on the dish was "rustic innit". Well, we knew it was going to be simple stuff, but you expect a wow factor somewhere when paying this much (around £30 for main courses). If it really is just simple rustic stuff, well we can get that cheaper elsewhere.

Went on to dessert. My partner had a chocolate and ice-cream number which was good. I had a trifle with stratiachella ice cream which was average.

They threw in some nibbles. The first was an Amarretti biscuit. I was looking forward especially to this as I have made these at home to Georgio's recipe from the Made In Italy book. Another disappointment! The almond flavour was so strong my partner could not eat hers. They tasted like someone had been pouring in almond essence. The ones we made at home ourselves were better! Maybe I should ask for a job at the Locanda! I could show them a thing or two!

The next dessert was a chocolate truffle. As someone who makes a lot of chocolate truffles at home, I was also looking forward to this! I imagine you have guessed what i am going to say already. In fact it was worse; it was frankly horrible. It tasted really bitter, and the granache (the bit in the middle of a truffle) had too much licor in it (whatever they had used) and so was still wet; the texture was all wrong.

There was a third little sweet which I can't be bothered to describe. Nuff said.

On the service front, I agree with so many other people's comments that it wasn't really up to the standard I would expect of a restaurant with such aspirations.

The wine was excellent.

There were celebs there, but I think I will have to get onto Walliams's agent to find out his movements so I can go somewhere else; he seems to be following us around.

I've never written a restaurant review before, but couldn't stop myself this time!
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Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 2
Monday, March 17, 2008

I never gone to a restaurant where virtually everything on the menu seemed so unappealing. There was only 1 pasta that seems edible. When the waiter took our order, all 4 of us wanted the same pasta. To be different, I ordered a lasagne with "wind-dried" cod with capers. I like seafood so I figured I had to keep an open mind and not be turned away by the description. What a disappointment. It was a square of lagagne noodles with a puree of fish poured over the top. It was like a dish of catfood.

There wasn't one member of our party that was impressed with either the antipasto or the entree.

The service is excellent and the ambiance is enjoyable. It is the food that disappoints. Having just returned from Rome, I enjoyed much better meals at 1/4 of the price.

Locanda Locatelli has clearly gotten a little too impressed with itself and needs to return to the roots that gave it it's name.

Stay away at all costs!!!
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Jed Evans
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 0
Saturday, March 15, 2008

I took a client for lunch yesterday and had been looking forward to trying the food for some time. I wasn't disappointed. Couldn't fault the service, the food was outstanding (do try the custard with tomatoe and raspberry coulis for dessert - sounds strange but was totally heavenly).

Arrived at 12:30 and left at 4:40pm. No rush, relaxed, fabulous wine and incredible food. If you want to try excellent Italian then this is the place to go.

Couldn't fault the whole experience.
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DB
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, February 22, 2008

I have been looking forward to going to Locanda Locatelli for a very long time. I recently managed it, my colleague and I took a couple of clients for lunch. I have read loads of reviews and with a 6* rating in the Good Food Guide and held up as the finest Italian food in the Capital I had very high hopes.

Not for long. The service was fine if sometimes incomprehensible, but the food was just wholeheartedly average. With a lunch bill for 4 reaching £300 I expect a little bit better than mediocre, especially when two of us just had pasta as a main course.
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Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 0
Monday, January 28, 2008

if I've to be honest, i don't really like writing reviews, but in this case I'll make an exception because Locanda Locatelli was a great food experience! not forgetting all the people around the restaurant from the moment we walked in until we left!! Bravo bravo bravo!!!!
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Jane
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, January 09, 2008

I've been at Locanda for the first time in December after reading the famous book which was described by one the girls at the reception as "the bible of the food". it's been hard to get a table, but now i understand the reason of that and of most of the rules they have like the returning time if you go early or the bookings taken one month in advance....it's really worth all of these things! me and my fiance' had a warm welcoming, a fantastic blueberry martini at the bar and once we were at the table one the managers (there are a few!) helped us choosing our dishes because i have some allergies. no doubt: the evening was really busy with all the people leaving and coming but the waiter was able to take care of us without giving the feeling that we had to leave. food was great, a real piece of Italy in the heart of London. the bill was what we were expeting: how can you be surprised when the prices are on the menu? well done Giorgio Locatelli and all of your staff.
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kate
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Monday, January 07, 2008

I don't even know just where to begin my song of praise for Locanda Locatelli.

As it was the birthday of my boyfriend we were looking for an evening to be remembered and we were not let down.

From the moment we walked through the door we were well looked after by the ever so attentive staff.

I admit to be quite nosey when it comes to the ingredients of a dish and in most places the staff will have to check with the kitchen, but at Locanda Locatelli everybody knew excatly what was going on....and as for the wine, once again we were very impressed and all our enquiries were professionally answered.

I won't claime to be a food buff, however I have travelled all over the world and eaten in enough restaurants to know when I have a quality meal.

At Locanda Locatelli it's good, honest and un-pretentious food with respect for the produce.

I most certainly will be spreading the word once I'm back home in Copenhagen.
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M.B. Devantier
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, January 07, 2008

There have been few restaraunts that I've looked forward to eating at more than Locanda Locatelli which may well have contributed to my overall disapointment of the experience. I booked a table for 7.00pm in the knowledge that we had to vacate it by 9.00 which I was fine with. The service however was so slow and inattentive that by 9.00pm we had only just ordered desserts. This meant that whilst I was enjoying my tiramisu the waiter was hovering over the table and was clearly relieved when we got up and left without having coffee. I have to say though that when the food did arrive some of the courses were just wonderful with for me the calves kidneys topping them all. The wine list is also very good and for a restaraunt like this very reasonable. Maybe it was an off night but with the bill at £160.00 for two I don't think I'm going to give Georgio Locatelli anymore of my money.
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Patrick Lucan
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 5
Friday, January 04, 2008

My partner and dined at Locatelli's last week and it was the most disappointing dining experience of my life. On arrival we were dumped at a table and apart from being brought water were not offered the opportunity to order a drink from the bar. I finally complained after 15 minutes- when we were brought our drinks I then at to point out that we had not been given grissini either! When the waiter came to take our order he assumed we had been told the specials by our original waiter- we had not. I complained again about how we were being treated, and as other reviewers pointed out, the staff did not seem in the least bit bothered. From ordering we waited 35 minutes for our 1st course- considering mine was carpaccio and my partner had scallops this seemed a trifle long- but we then had to wait 45 minutes to get our pasta course, which I know are`all pre-prepared! Thed pasta was very tasty but luke-warm. A further 30 minute wait for the fish course- we were supposed to clear our table by 9.30 and our main did not arrive until 9.20pm. Dessert was very mediocre- I have had much better at bistros in my home town of Newcasle. We paid (£160 incuding cocktails, 1 glass of wine) and on leaving I askd to give the staff some feedback and told them how disappointed I was- I got the nod and smile treatment, and it was quite clear they didn't give a stuff what we felt. I have eaten at 1star Seaham Hall recently- by this standard, Seaham should be 3star. It is clear that in London there will always be another business account dinner or B-list celebrity to fill the tables, and therefore no effort towards excellence is required. Oh, and sharing the toilets with thehotel when there is a Christmas do on is horrendous for fine diners- lots of loud drunken girls is not what we were expecting!
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Kathy
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 5
Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Overrated...

Porr service...

Average Food...

Great Dining Room & Ambience but didn't deliver as promised!
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Anna
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Monday, November 26, 2007