I was heading to the Barbican Theatre to see the interesting full immersive show The Encounter.
Luca is a well reputed Italian restaurant nearby complete with its own £160 pasta workshop (for another time).
With an early booking, we eventually moved from the bar to the restaurant. After they discovered we actually wanted the pre-theatre menu, they moved us back to the bar. No whitetable service (but that suits me better) and a 2 course for £17 menu.
Starters
- Fried baby squid (with devilled spices, lemon mayonnaise) - crisp little bits in a spicy coating;
- Cornish mussels alla puttanesca - soft mussels in caper and olive sauce;
- Rigatoni with pork sausage ragu, tomato, anchovy, mint - this was tasty but MUCH too salty. It wasn't anchovy salty (as I like that), but simply salt salty.
Mains
- Roast leg of guinea fowl (with Jersey royals, spring greens) - very good actually with tender meat and a savoury gravy;
- Crisp pork belly (caramelised chicory, dried figs, pickled apple) - reasonable but a little too fatty a pork belly;
- Breaded plaice (with peas, mousseron mushrooms, lettuce) - buttery, decently cooked fish, alright.
I wasn't enamoured with the meal overall. It just seemed to lack a bit for me. Maybe the full restaurant menu (with its much higher price) will show something different. Maybe I'll try it if I do the pasta course.
After the waiting and the moving there was no time for dessert. Next time. Maybe.