8 Old Compton Street,
Soho,
London,
W1D 4TE
0872 148 1905
The ViewLondon Review
A no-nonsense classic Italian experience in the centre of town, complete with hanging wine flasks.The VenueThis is the heart of busy Soho where gay bars jostle with coffee shops, tourists dodge rickshaws and taxis weave through the throng. Biagio Caroleo came to England in 1969 and his Biagio Group took over Piccolo Diavolo a number of years ago. It’s a small-ish, down-to-earth, typical Italian trattoria. It’s L-shaped with the bar and counter on the right and its white walls featuring pictures of Italian food—straw wine flasks hang from the ceiling.
The AtmospherePiccolo Diavolo is very much in the line of the traditional British Italian restaurant with its ebullient waiters, hearty food and mixed crowd. American, German and even Italian tourists mingle with Londoners who know a good deal when they see it. The extrovert waiters welcome you with gusto and help put fellow diners at ease.
The FoodThe meal starts with bread olives with garlic on the table. For starters, the Parma ham and melon are good, although the ham could be sliced thinner. Other starters include the classic buffalo mozzarella, rocket and tomato salad (about £8.00) and tonno e fagioli, tuna with cannellini beans, onion and parsley. The pasta all’arrabbiata is fresh and al dente and coated by just the right amount of the perfectly spiced sauce.
For mains, the medallions of pan-fried fillet steak (about £12.00) are tender and pink, while the gravy is rich, creamy and well-seasoned. The mashed potato is smooth and creamy too. The fillet steak with gorgonzola cheese is equally tender and comes in a chive and white wine sauce with a side dish of vegetables. Other mains include grilled monkfish, grilled halibut, lamb steak, a number of veal dishes and pizza. Prices range from £5.50 to £16.25.
Desserts, although acceptable, aren’t really Piccolo Diavolo’s strong point. The tiramisu is the light and fluffy kind and the chocolate mousse cake is good enough. Other options include orange or lemon sorbets or ice cream with fruit.
The DrinkThe clear pale red house Salento Rosso goes very well with the food. Also on offer are a Salento Bianco (about £4.00 a glass and £14.00 a bottle), all the way up to a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino at £45.00.
The Last WordPiccolo Diavolo is a reasonably priced, satisfying and fun night out in the heart of town. In this day and age, that’s becoming a rare thing.