Apero

Wednesday, September 12, 2012 - Smoked aubergine purée with goat’s curd proved a little pointless on its own. All else was bright and refreshing, a sort of Ottolenghi-inspired spin on Italian classics, a dusting of sour sumac here, a golden raisin there. An assembly of cured sea bass, cold purple potatoes and slivers of fennel arrived with mint and a sprinkling of sweet lemon dust. The raw salad of summer vegetables was similarly dainty...Still, by the time we were sharing an olive oil and pistachio cake (£6), we were authentically transported. The bill was smaller than expected, too, thanks to a lunchtime deal. I hope it will gain more buzz; in the meantime, Apero is a smart stop for the museum-weary at Negroni o’clock.