When the gorgeous Giorgio Locatelli offers to cook up an asparagus-themed feast for one night only, you just can’t say no. Celebrating not only the start of summer, but also the re-launch of his City restaurant, Refettorio, the asparagus dinner is the first of several seasonally-themed menus to be introduced over the coming months.

The Venue
Refettorio is Locatelli’s take on City-style dining. Located in the luxurious Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blackfriars, its décor is a world away from your traditional Italian trattoria. The super-sleek L-shaped dining room is all low-slung lighting, chunky dark wood furnishings and muted hessian walls, and it exudes modern Italian style. A long, lean and low-lit bar dominates the main wall, while a separate raised area is ideal for more private gatherings.

The Atmosphere
As Refettorio sits on the periphery of the Square Mile, it’s not unusual that the majority of the clientele is of the business variety. Despite an obvious air of importance, the atmospheric hum is rather light and cheery. The staff are friendly and professional to the point of perfection and are equipped with an impressive depth of knowledge about the seasonal menus.

The Food
Although the restaurant is under the directorship of Giorgio, the menu is the well-nurtured baby of executive chef, Alessandro Bay. As a former protégé of Locatelli, Alessandro is keen to show off his skills, and is offering ingredient-themed menus throughout the summer. Starting with the asparagus menu, followed by a four course black truffle menu which includes a pancetta tagliatelli with shavings of black summer truffle and a pan-fried veal chop with leeks and potato cream, topped again with the earthy musk of truffle.

In November, when the elusive white truffle is in season, Alessandro introduces Londoners to its heavenly delights with a white truffle themed menu. As (at the time of writing) we’re just in summer, diners are currently treated to a repertoire of asparagus including a creamy homemade spaghettini cooked with butter, chives, asparagus and fresh scallops. The main course is a perfect pan-fried fillet of salmon, crisp on the outside with a soft, raw centre, served with asparagus puree and black olive tapenade making it rich with robust Italian flavours. Dessert is thankfully sans asparagus, but comes as a super-indulgent and creamy tiramisu.

The Drink
As any fan of Locatelli will tell you, the wine list here is properly Italian, and has been picked to complement each of the dishes perfectly. The Gavi di Gavi 2009 (£31btl, £7.50 gls) is nice and dry yet light enough to complement salads and light starters. If it's smoothness you’re after try the exceptional Roncaglia Mancini 2009 (£27.50btl, £7 gls) which is soft, rich and full of citrus flavour, and works its magic with seafood dishes. For a good dry white with a fuller body to the Gavi, give the Russiz Superiore sauvignon blanc 2009 (£44btl, £9 glass) a go. After four courses it might be worthwhile perusing the digestive menu which offers a good range of grappas from £8.

The Last Word
For excellent seasonal and of course, Locatelli-inspired food in stylish surroundings, Refettorio is an absolute must-try. Recommended.

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