Carluccio’s Chiswick location, opposite leafy Turnham Green Park, is a haven for any foodie who lives or happens to be in the neighbourhood.

The Venue
If you can walk through the delicatessen at the front of the shop without being distracted by the tempting display of olive oils, wines, cakes, salamis, cheese and ready-made salads then you will find yourself in the strikingly stylish restaurant. The dining area is decorated in a fresh modern style with a glass counter, red cushioned seats and a giant black and white mural on the wall of a 1920s restaurant in Rome.

The Atmosphere
The atmosphere at Carluccio’s is refined and sophisticated by night when you just hear the sotto voce murmur of voices and the clinking of glasses. However, it is a little more noisy at lunchtime when mothers congregate with young children.

The Food
Try the delicious light starter of carpaccio, finely sliced, paper thin, raw beef, which is translucent so you can see the plate through it. It has a very delicate flavour and is served with lemon juice and pepper. Also good is the platter of succulent sliced parma ham, sliced slightly thicker than is traditional in Italy, which marries very well with the fresh focaccia and olives which are provided at the start of your meal at Carluccios.

Main courses include a generous helping of pan-fried liver, although not succulent or like jelly in some restaurants, it’s still very delicately flavoured and served with soft as butter new potatoes and a sweet red onion marmalade. Cold crunchy green beans make a refreshing side dish from the salad section or the menu or you can try hot steamed spinach, which is a little salty. The pasta is also a good choice – pappardelle with mushrooms are wide ribbons of fresh egg pasta cooked al dente so they are soft but still have a slight bite to them, and the sauce tastes of lightly salted fresh porcini mushrooms.

Classic Italian desserts include peaches stuffed with softened aromatic amaretto biscuits, which gives the peach the flavour of amaretto liqueur, or affogato, creamy vanilla ice cream with specks of vanilla pod and coffee bean drowning in piping hot, fresh, strong Italian espresso coffee.

The Drink
One of the best things about Carluccios is that its cellar is stocked with fine wines. A very good partner to red meat is the Salice Salentino Riserva Candido Puglia, a mellow, smooth, ruby red wine sun-kissed with a hint of oranges.

The Last Word
The menu is varied enough to offer dining for the sophisticated adult palate as well as healthy tasty recipes for children.

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