Launched in Feb this year, this Dalston Lane relative newbie is definitely worth a trip, if you aren’t local. Inviting from the outside, this minimal but warm stylish abode takes design direction from Japan, while using Italian materials. There’s bar dining (UJ loves), a large communal table and some smaller ones, with 40 covers total.
As for dining, choose from the tasting menu (five plates), or you can also order a daily plate with/without a glass of wine, too. The menu changes every two weeks, but we’re sure it’s always interesting. To start, it’s a mix of small plates (so many) with things like extremely light tempura’d greens and rich, silky stracciatella. First course when we were there was a pasta – a tagliatelle with ramen-style eggs and butter sauce; mains were polenta with oyster mushrooms or hibachi sirloin with miso potatoes and erbette. Dessert was an earl grey crumble or matcha tiramisu. Overall, the dishes seemed to be on the Italian side, with Japanese flavours, which made for fun, flavourful, well executed dining.
We loved the open kitchen, the interesting/lesser-known wines and the small, hidden six-seater cocktail bar called Golden Gai (check your phones at the door). Just make sure you come hungry – the tasting menu is definitely an event! The restaurant was busy from 6PM the night we were there, so be sure to make reservations.
Angelina’s five-plate sharing menu starts from £38pp with the optional wine pairing an additional £35. For those without the luxury of time a Chef’s Choice Daily Plate is available for £9/ £12 with a glass of wine.
