PARTNERSHIP Italy - UK

PARTNERSHIP | Winter 2019 16 Bancone, a cheffy pasta restaurant An Italian restaurant with a Mediterranean twist B ancone, just off Trafalgar Square in London, opened in June 2018. The restaurant is decorated in a minimal but trendy way, consisting of three banconi (dining bars) overlooking the kitchen and bar, and some small tables on the opposite side and on the back. Upstairs, a room for private events. At around 1:30PM on a Sunday, when we arrived, the dining bars were almost full and there were no tables left. Every customer seemed fully immersed in their dishes, no-one was on their phone - which is something we are so used to seeing nowadays. Definitely a good sign. We were lucky enough to be seated on the bancone in front of the kitchen, looking at several boxes containing different shapes of fresh pasta – from bucatini, gnocchi and tagliatelle to mafalde (the ribbon-shaped one), and even handkerchiefs (typical of the Genoese tradition). Behind the counter, we observed the kitchen staff and the process of the dish-making, from boiling the pasta to cooking it with its sauce, to sending it out to the customers. We were hypnotised by their work: they were moving in harmony, incessantly, and with such gracious moves. It was a culinary show. BEYOND SIMPLICITY The menu seems simple: few small dishes as appetisers, pasta and desserts. But is it as simple and straightforward as it seems? Louis Korovilas is the chef behind the menu, bringing his experience from the Michelin-starred Locanda Locatelli and Pied á Terre restaurants. Bancone followed the trend of single-focus restaurants that have been recently set up in the British capital. What differentiates Bancone from the other pasta-only restaurants, thought, is that pasta is not only traditionally Italian, but is presented with a twist: I did not find the classic amatriciana or carbonara, that I would normally be able to replicate at home, but something rather cheffy that shows a great research behind the dishes. Bancone experiments and brings pasta to a new level. My tagliatelle with primitivo, juniper and bay braised rabbit were outstanding. Similarly, we did not find the usual small plates, but a new interpretation of panelle (Sicilian fritters made from chickpea flour) with lardo and anchovies; and stracchino-filled fried polenta, just to mention a couple. Looking around, we saw that most customers were having two plates of pasta each and were sharing them with their table. I have never done it before - I am used to ordering an appetiser and one main - but I will next time I visit. What is the best way of trying those two or three mouth- watering dishes than sharing them with a friend? Prices start from £9 for a (very) generous portion, and the menu changes seasonally. Definitely worth a visit! Bookings are recommended. · Bancone 39 William IV St London WC2N 4DD www.bancone.co.uk Photo Credit: Jade Nina Sarkhel