Cucina Asellina Restaurant Review

The ME London Hotel is somewhat of a go-to destination for trendy Londoners looking for somewhere trendy to stay. It seemingly has it all; the stylish rooftop bar with panoramic views of the city, the art gallery-feel lobby and of course, the luxurious en-suite bedrooms. It also boasts Cucina Asellina, an equally stylish Italian restaurant that serves up delicious food in a relaxing environment that perfectly blends in with its surroundings.

Designed by Foster + Partners, the interior of Cucina Asellina is somewhere you feel immediately comfortable. It’s a familiar, friendly space that has taken its inspiration from the simple building materials used in southern Italy. Plenty of stone, brick, concrete and wood are on show and that, combined with the welcoming staff creates a fun, genuine atmosphere. The room is on the larger side (90 covers), so it looses a certain intimacy and charm you might expect from a traditional Italian restaurant, but on the whole it’s an enjoyable place to while away an evening.

The menu is expansive, too. A wide array of Italian treats are on offer, and you can guarantee there’ll be something for everyone. To start, you’d be a fool not to share. Order a couple of the smaller dishes together, and you’ll be in for a mini-feast treat. The stuffed Cerignola olives are wonderfully fresh, boasting just the right amount of tang from the parmesan without taking away the earthy flavour of the olives themselves. Courgette flowers are becoming somewhat of a tapas mainstay, and here they are stuffed with mozzarella and anchovy, packing a real punch.

Again, the buratta is immensely fresh and soft, with an oozing centre of creamy mozzarella. The rosemary focaccia is unfortunately devoid of flavour but the grilled vegetables add an interesting textural element to the dish. For mains, the choices keep on coming and a range of pasta, pizza and ‘secondi’ dishes are available. Although Milan isn’t particularly noted for its cuisine, the Milanese and Swiss chard veal cutlet is an alluring dish, yet its subtle flavours are somewhat of an anti-climax in comparison to what came before. The beef fillet “Tagliata” is a powerful dish however, working perfectly with the braised radicchio and pine nuts with which it is served.

Cucina Asellina offers up well-cooked, fresh Italian-inspired food in a relaxing, contemporary environment. You won’t be disappointed.

For more information, visit their website by clicking here.