Tucked away inside a cove just off Borough Market is a little slice of Italy. A bakery, restaurant and pizzeria all sit side by side, covered by an artistically created roof of umbrellas. Heading into the pizzeria, I was immediately reminded of the restaurants I had been to in Italy; the cosy atmosphere created by the simple furniture and warm, family style setting. A quiet place with not many tables, this is the perfect setting for a date.
We were warmly greeted and sat down, whereupon we ordered some wine. The Merlot was very full bodied and rich, accompanying the selection of hams and cheeses brought to the table as a starter. We tasted Burrata and Parma Ham, as well as Bresaola (a dried beef from Lomardy), all of which were delicious. It is particularly nice to savour each meat and cheese separately and slowly, as each has its own unique flavour to be admired.
For appetizers we ordered Arancini, one of my absolute favourites, a fried ball of risotto with melting cheese inside. We received 2 of them and cutting them open made us salivate; the rice was full of flavour and the oozing cheese was decadent. We also sampled the fried calamari, which arrived in a petite fryer, which was a nice little touch. I am usually sceptical of ordering this dish, as the batter is typically thick and heavy, but we were delighted to see a very thin coat of flour so that it was not too filling before our main dish.
With more wine by our side, we moved onto the main dish. I had a fresh tagliatelle with a wild boar ragu and my date had an octopus casserole. I must say that I have an addiction to pasta, I could eat it every day tirelessly, so my dish was very exciting. The texture of the pasta was wonderful and the boar was particularly soft, but what really made me enjoy the dish was that, despite being a small serving, it was full of meat. The octopus looked appetizing as well and, judging by how my date finished everything on his plate, I am certain he enjoyed it.
Although quite full at that point, we decided that we couldn’t miss out on trying a sweet dish and ordered a panna cotta. Layered with a fruity jam on top, the creamy bottom layer was smooth and vanilla flavoured. It was a perfect way to end dinner, with a glass of Franeglico on the rocks and an espresso.
Overall, I would highly recommend eating at Del Mercato. The food is affordable and fresh, with special dishes you wouldn’t find in your average Italian restaurant, – such as Swordfish meatballs – the staff are all very knowledgeable and friendly, and of course, everything we ate was delicious. The date was a success and I would definitely go again. Only 3 stops from Old Street station, it is highly accessible from Shoreditch and is certainly worth the time, as there is nothing like it locally.
