Dover Street is where the rich come to drink, dine and party. Luckily, Alloro keeps it quite reasonable, and if they could just maintain the rustic style of real Italian cooking it would be pitch-perfect.

The Venue
Alloro is a beautiful restaurant that manages to keep things glamorous without taking them to pretentious extremes. The venue is elegant and understated, with a neutral colour scheme punctuated by pretty alcoves filled with branch-like patterns. The floor is a mix of woods and the comfortable high-backed seating is maroon, adding a certain sophistication to the space and complementing the dark brown, sofa-style seating that runs around the periphery of the room. The tables are, of course, bedecked in crisp white linen, and simply dressed with gleaming glassware and cute little plants. It manages to look expensive without trying - how very Mayfair, dahling.

The Atmosphere
Business types mix with couples out on dates and wealthy families and friends to produce a low-key ambience that’s relaxing, yet still feels special enough to justify the expense of dining in a Dover Street restaurant. The staff are - as expected - incredibly welcoming and efficient and your every need is looked after. Restaurant etiquette is tirelessly observed at all times.

The Food
They do it as the Italian’s do at Alloro with antipasti, a first course, second course and dessert coming in at £43. However, that’s likely to stump many diners so you can instead opt for three courses for £39 or two courses for £34. The only criticism would be that the food sometimes feels a little too delicate at times, almost shying away from going really whole-heartedly in for the bold flavours and rustic presentation of the best Italian food.

To start, the thinly sliced ox tongue is delicious. Delicate and light, the rich, meaty flavour of the tongue almost melts in the mouth, lifted by a simple parsley sauce. Moving on to the first course, the homemade tagliatelle is beautifully al dente and paired simply with fresh tomatoes and basil, allowing the delicate flavour of the pasta and fresh ingredients to shine, rather than weighing it all down with heavy sauces.

Secondi dishes includes the delightful veal sirloin steak, cooked to specification with medium rare appearing perfectly pink and tender, with a sweetness that balances the richness of the meat. It comes with grilled asparagus, rocket and parmesan for a light accompaniment that balances out the meat without detracting from its strong flavour. It’s worth every penny of the £9 supplement. Alternatively, try the pan-fried cod fillet for a simple, light piece of fish that highlights the skills in the kitchen. It arrives with a warm green bean salad that's a little lacking in seasoning perhaps, but manages to complement the freshness of the fish.

Italians make some of the world’s best desserts so they have a lot to live up to at Alloro. The hot chocolate fondant here goes some way towards justifying this reputation. The moist, light sponge is filled with a gooey, decadent chocolate sauce that works particularly well with the sweet, creamy vanilla ice cream.

The Drink
The wine list is dominated almost entirely by Italian bottles and is pretty mind-boggling to read, with lots of unusual grapes and small regions included. However, they don’t come cheap with prices starting at £27 and quickly rising to £990. The menu also includes prosecco, dessert wines, port and grappa.

The Last Word
Alloro is a top class restaurant that pays close attention to quality dishes. With a bit more rusticity they would easily earn that fifth star.

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