While Antonio the man can be seen wagging chins with James Martin on Saturday Kitchen or cooing over rum jelly on obscure documentaries, Carluccio’s the Caffe continues to expand all over the city. The latest addition to the family – situated on a lively street in Earlsfield - is imbued with the warmth and enthusiasm that has come to define the idiosyncratic Italian.

The Venue
If you live on or near Garratt Lane, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing an eatery for the evening. With a plethora of restaurants, Earlsfield’s epicenter is within spitting distance of Clapham Junction (a mere three minute train journey to the station) and is a short bus ride from Tooting. But amidst the hullabaloo stands an old and reliable friend. The calligraphic lettering, blue and white exterior furnishings and al fresco dining section are all hallmarks of one of the most successful Italian chains in London. It’s obvious that Carluccio’s Earlsfield has already established itself as one of the stand out restaurants on the strip.

The foodshop adjoined to the main eating area is a neat trick and gives the illusion of a much larger restaurant than reality discovers. In fact, it’s the first room that greets you upon entry and its warmth and opulence gives Carluccio’s an extra dimension. Sourcing authentic and regional Italian food and displaying everything from Sicilian cookbooks, Sardinian olive oil, fresh lasagna and chocolate Grissini – it serves as a tantalizing glimpse of what’s to come in the main event.

The restaurant itself is fundamentally small. Tables are squeezed together like prisoners of war, making you privy to the mumbles and murmurs of other diners whilst affording you the opportunity to eye up the grub they so fervently shovel down their throats. The interior decor is clean, modern, and functional and does exactly what it says on the tin. Unfortunately, the outside dining area doesn’t look as appealing as some of the food on show. It’s slap bang in front of a crowded bus stop which is sure to irritate customers on summer evenings.

The Atmosphere
Congested table arrangements usually work in one of two ways. It can either breed unpalatable frustration, claustrophobia and alarming contempt for your neighbour or it can actually give a restaurant its pulse. Thankfully, Carluccio’s falls into the latter category. You may have to clamber over your fellow diners to get to your seat, carefully sliding your bag through a maze of wine glasses, but it all adds to the fun. The combination of young couples, city slickers and families create a clamour of commotion but a real sense of merriment and vibrancy fills the room. So what if you can hear the slugs and slurps from the next table. In Italy, eating is socializing.

Staff are polite and attentive and run like a well oiled machine. There’s rarely an empty table in sight and the waiters and waitresses seem to have already formed a camaraderie amongst them.

The Food
There’s nothing expansive about the menu at Carluccio’s. It’s taut, concise and carefully considered. The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and part of its success stems from the adaptability of the food on offer – there’s even a separate gluten free menu that includes several options made with gluten free pasta. From the a la carte menu, there are four options in the stuzzichini (sharer) section including Parma ham wrapped grissini and parmesan pieces, a savoury bread tin and a bowl of olives. In the antipasti section, two of the dishes (priced at £9.95 each) are designed for two and could double up as a starter for dinner or a main for lunch. With a variety of salads ranging between £3.95 and £6.75, it’s clear you can mix and match, pick and choose courses that befit a multitude of eventualities.

However, if you’re going to go for the traditional three-courser, you could do a lot worse than go for the Pasta E Fagioli for starter – a soup consisting of pasta, creamy borlotti (white Italian) beans and vegetables with extra virgin olive oil. It’s dense, warm and comforting – perfect for a cold winter’s evening and the thick slab of Italian bread coated in a sweet, light dressing is perfect dunking material. At £4.25 it’s worth every penny. For those who dare to stray from the beaten track, you could try Arancini Di Riso Siciliani – two crispy deep fried rice balls, one filled with mozzarella and the other with meat ragu, garnished with a red pepper sauce. The ragu is definitely the better of the two but in a rather filling starter it’s the cooling, sweet influence of the pepolata (red pepper sauce) that saves the dish from mediocrity.

For main, it’s pretty much a straight choice between the pasta dishes such as homemade fresh tortellini, spaghetti al pesto and ravioli all priced reasonably at about £7 to £8. Then there are the more expensively priced but slightly more elaborate mains. Fillet of pan fried sea bass with sauteed potatoes and tomato salsa is as proficient as the talking clock but once again relies on a delectable sauce to save it from obscurity. The fish is tender and moist but smothered in a batter which nullifies the taste of the bass somewhat. At £11.75 it’s a competent, if slightly underwhelming choice. But Carluccio’s is in its comfort zone when producing pure, rustic, simple Italian food and the Spezzatino D’angnello is testament to that notion. Essentially a lamb stew with potatoes and vegetables, it’s an overachiever. The succulent meat simply melts in your mouth. Delightful!

The dessert menu offers up the usual array of familiars – chocolate fondant, tiramisu and fresh fruit salad with cream – as well as a few notable exceptions. Tuscan sponge cake dipped in rum and cocoa and filled with whipped cream and chocolate seems an interesting concept. It’s fluffy and light and punctuated by toasted almonds and hazelnuts but one wonders whether it was home made. There’s also a homemade pancake topped with fruit compote and ice cream. The savoury nature of the pancake is compounded by the sour berries and complemented by the sweetness of the ice cream. Average dessert price is just under a fiver.

The Drink
Carluccio’s offers an extensive list of red and white wines as well as sparkling and roses which you can purchase by the glass or the bottle. Bottles start from £12.45 for a Sicani Bianco, Cantine Settesoli up to the Chianti Classico, Brolio 2005 at £23. Glasses tend to be in the region of £3 - £7 so if you’re in a group it’s probably well worth getting a bottle to share. And for a special treat why not their Tuscan Vin Santo, a swish dessert wine served with honey and almond cantucci biscuits. Coffees are reasonably priced with cappuccinos and lattes available for £2.

The Last Word
Antonio Carluccio may no longer be involved in his eponmymous restaurants but the latest recruit to his ever expanding empire is brimming with his infectious enthusiasm. So if you’re in the mood for hearty, rustic Italian grub at affordable prices, the Earlsfield joint is well worth a look. It’s bright, welcoming, lively and perfect for couples. Just sit back, swill some wine and loosen your belt buckle.

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