Gattis Restaurant draws its inspiration from the culinary style known as alla Casalinga, which is home-style Italian cookery - the best kind.

The Venue
Gattis Restaurant is in the modern development behind Liverpool Street station. It’s a smart new space, nothing too fancy in the way of design but an interesting shape and comfortable to be in. Being off-road, it’s away from the City traffic and the only thing that passes the door are pedestrians, so it’s a place to people-watch.

The Atmosphere
The staff at Gattis Restaurant are particularly welcoming, very cheerful and helpful. Much of the business in this area is lunchtime trade with diners from the surrounding offices. Evenings are probably quieter although the City is generally livelier than it used to be. It may not be the quickest place to dine, but then the food is so good that you won’t want to rush it.

The Food
For a starter the wild country mushrooms with garlic are a treat, packed with deliciously earthy flavour. There are always special dishes of the day, which could include Antipasto Antonio, a puff pastry tart with sauteed cured ham and Cheddar cheese garnished with carrots and grilled courgettes or Bocconcini Boscaiola, strips of Scottish beef fillet with wild mushrooms and red wine sauce served with mixed vegetable rice. Pasta dishes include spaghetti with lobster and fettucine with smoked salmon and fresh shrimps. Any seafood dish is good and the calamari are particularly fine, Pacific prawns with garlic, herbs and butter are a knock-out. Dover sole and seabass, swordfish and sea bream are good fish dishes to order here, simply prepared and served.

However, meat dishes are the cornerstones of the menu with a good choice of fillet steaks, just plain grilled or with green pepper sauce, or topped with Stilton cheese sauce. The Lamb’s liver with bacon proved to be one of the tastiest and the tenderest in the City, simply grilled and served piping hot with no sauces to mask the flavours, it was perfection on a plate. Extra vegetables start from under £3.00 a portion. The dessert trolley is as tempting as they come with the usual suspects – Tiramisu, cheesecake, trifle, ice creams, sorbets etc. The Raspberry cream gateau, however, is outstanding, especially when topped with fresh berries.

Although a meal here can be a bit pricey - main courses come out at around £14.00 and over - the evening set menu is a good deal for under £20.00, plus a ten per cent discount on any bottle of wine.

The Drink
A bottle of house wine is under £20.00 and there is a choice selection of good wines in half bottles from about £14.00, whilst a single glass runs about £4.00. Otherwise there’s a complete range from the modest to the really good and the really expensive, including champagne from £30.00.

The Last Word
Overall Gattis Restaurant is not a place to go if you’re looking for a cheap meal. However, it is the place for fine Italian cuisine cooked, home-made style, without frills.

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