If I was kidnapped by a group of bandits and taken to this place blindfolded I would think I was in a family trattoria in one of the backstreets of Rome. You might be thinking why bandits would kidnap me to a trattoria but that’s not the point, authentic Italian food in such a welcoming atmosphere in the heart of Shoreditch, now that’s what I call far-fetched.
Bottega Prelibato is a multipurpose wonderland functioning as an Italian deli during the day with an art gallery downstairs and as an Italian restaurant in the evenings. The moment I stepped in I felt so much at home in this place and I’m not even Italian! It’s a small restaurant, which gives you a very warm and intimate feel, with around twenty seats on the main floor and two additional tables downstairs. In the downstairs lounge, which is also used for monthly changing art exhibitions, they have a big wooden table that can sit up to ten people and it looks ideal for birthday dinners, celebrations for various occasions or just to gather with friends and enjoy delicious food! Who needs a reason to come together around a big table for yummy food and good wine? Italians do it every day.
The menu changes every evening so what we ate last night would not be available tonight. Due to the dynamic nature of the food prepared here there is no printed menu except for the drinks menu. Your waiter/waitress brings you two chalk boards with the starters and mains of the day listed on and goes through the list explaining every dish on the board. Then you’re left with the boards and your thoughts for a while. After careful consideration we got the Antipasto Bottega platter, which comes with crisp flat bread forming the first layer and on top cured meat, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, slices of beetroot and butternut squash, mushrooms and in the middle a magically delicious small bowl with melted scamorza cheese, olive oil and broccoli leaves. Everything was fresh and high quality on this board but the scamorza alone is a valid reason to declare that this was one of the best antipasto platters I have ever eaten if not the best.
As for the mains, the decision was tough. Our waiter, who was very attentive and welcoming, informed us about the different pasta dishes they were serving that night with samples of the actual pasta on a board. It was enlightening. In the end we went for the Ravioli stuffed with minced veal with spicy tomato and courgette sauce and the Sea Bass with asparagus and mashed potato topped with prawns, and they were prelibato indeed! We had our food in a very tranquil atmosphere with classical piano music in the background, which we had mistaken for live music at first (and it was even before we ordered the wine!)
Bottega Prelibato also offers an Italian style aperitivo between 5:30 – 7 pm everyday, where the idea is to buy your drink (beer, wine or cocktails) and enjoy the complementary snacks to stimulate your appetite before dinner. So give yourself a break from the after-work pub ritual and relax the Mediterranean way.
Dinner for two with a bottle of wine including service: around £70.
http://www.prelibato.com/
45 Rivington Street, EC2A 3QB
London
T:02077394995 (Reservations recommended)
