Paesan

Paesan

2 Exmouth Market, 
London 
EC1R 4PX 
United Kingdom
 
020 7837 7139

LM: After an expensive month following Galvin la Chapelle we decided to try something a little lighter on the purse and visited Paesan on the recommendation of several other food bloggers. The premise is rustic Italian food and the decor of the restaurant is stripped back and dark, boasting (maybe) fake animal heads and...err...traditional neon sign advertising the cocktails.

We turned up early hoping for a drink in the bar downstairs but unfortunately it isn't open every day so worth checking on the website if you're planning to do that.

Nonetheless, staff were more than happy to seat us early and we had a pre-dinner cocktail in the restaurant without being hurried to order food which is always nice. The cocktail list is short with a few specials on the board; I had a Paesan te Freddo, which was lemony, amaretto-y, punchy and basically fantastic. Great flavours and not overloaded with ice which seems to be happening more and more often. We were served bread on the side, freshly made and studded with explosively tasty sun dried tomatoes. So far so good...

SN: There was something admirably relaxed and maybe slightly off-beat about this restaurant, but it felt comfortable the moment we sat down.  Paesan is bright and intimate at the same time.  The staff are friendly and the menu is interesting but it's not a place designed only to appeal to foodies.  Moreover when my first two choices of Italian red wine weren't available the suggestion was for something considerably cheaper, I fell back in my seat and enjoyed the warm inner glow of someone who is not being fleeced....

The decor is quirky and I can excuse my fellow diner's inexperience in assessing the provenance of boar's heads - that one was real - the look of shock at ramming it's head through a wall was authentic in my view.

My cocktail was a very strong chili Bloody Mary and frankly I was left a little woozy by its effect.  My bad.

The Antigniano Sangiovese 'Convito' 2012 which I was recommended is a lovely drink but very much a standard sangiovese taste - warming and rich cherry flavour.  Nothing special but it was half the price or what I'd planned to buy and made real sense against some robust flavours too.



LM: We shared a selection of plates tapas style rather than going down the 'starter-main' route and it worked really well. The website has an idea of the menu but there were plenty of specials on the day as well. {SN: and the staff were happy to advise on portion sizes}

The standout starter for me was burrata with aubergine caponata. Really simple food but done so well; the burrata was rich and creamy and the caponata cut through beautiful, a darker and smokier taste than I'm used to but absolutely delicious.

A dandelion and walnut salad was a first for me and was perhaps a little heavy on the dressing but that might just be my taste; either way lovely to see unusual vegetarian dishes on the menu.

SN: The third starter - a lemon and courgette Arancini had a real flavour and gratifying crunch to it, not at all soggy as reported in one review I've seen.  I recall much sadder affairs in swankier restaurants.  I loved the dandelion salad, I was reminded of the meadows of my youth and unhealthy pre-occupation with kicking the heads of dandelion clocks.  No immediate diuretic effect was forthcoming despite what herbalists might say.

Pizza fritto

LM: Pizza fritto came from the specials board, and was a deep fried pizza base with a gut-busting covering of goats cheese, butternut squash, rosemary and roasted red onion. Healthy it ain't but when it tastes that good it's worth the guilt.

SN:  Our "side" dishes were substantial both in quantity and quality: Cabbage with chestnut was sweet and not a hint of wateriness.  The braised fennel lacked a strong aniseed taste - but that was fine by me.  The potatoes were a substantial presence in aroma, taste and calorific contribution - but it had been a long hard day and carbs were called for.

My main course was grilled chicken with aoili (quite mild - or at least it seemed so).  Very simple, super succulent and filling.  We perhaps ordered one dish too many in view of the size of the main courses but it was nice to sample a range and we were both starving! These things happen when you go into the hinterland.

My sweet was a fanatically acidic Raspberry-y and Lemony Sorbet which frankly I could have done without but it probably aided my digestion. Lou's I think was better....

LM: indeed - I'm fairly easily pleased when it comes to chocolate cake, but this was really wonderful. This one was flourless, but without the soggy middle that sometimes comes with that. Served with fresh fruit and (from memory) vanilla marscapone it was a sensible sized portion and tasted like it had been freshly made within the hour which is (sadly) unusual in London restaurants.

Because I'm a firm believer in gluttony, I followed up with a limoncello shot. Aside from nearly blowing my eyebrows off with its strength it was delicious - very fresh without too much sugar that it became syrupy.

SN: I'll conclude by saying that you will find better food, better wine and better value elsewhere in London - but you may have to search them out and you could will struggle to do better for a reasonably priced hearty meal anywhere within the area.  The Paesan feel is ultimately a million miles away from rural Italy or indeed rural anywhere else - despite the wild boar lodged in one of the high walls. This kind of manufactured effect is done elsewhere in London - the saving grace here is that you won't go hungry, the wine does the job without breaking the bank and everyone is helpful and smiley.  Service is quick, discrete and we stayed at our table for nearly an hour after we'd eaten without any pressure to surrender our table.

There's a slightly over the top feeling to Paesan - if signs like this help you feel at home - its probably for you :-)