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Review: Paul Nelson
With Wandsworth steadily climbing up the social ladder and leaving
behind its industrial past the new townspeople, mainly a young,
go-ahead set, are naturally looking for more interesting places
to eat locally.
One of the newest, and brightest and best I have to add, is an
Italian restaurant San Pietro, which is a short distance from
the High Street down Garratt Lane.
The restaurant is very unassuming from the outside and appears
to be quite small, but in fact, the main dining area opens up
beyond the well stocked central bar and is a very respectable
size. There is also an al fresco area for warm weather dining.
The food has all the hallmarks of classic Italian cooking, with
an accent on Sicily, which is where the proprietor, Alberto, originated.
As part of a long-standing arrangement, I went there for lunch
with a member of the Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce and the choice
proved to be a fine one.
Choosing the wine is difficult at first because one is spoiled
for choice. Most of them are Italian as you would expect and what
is on offer is more than adequate with ten white wines from various
regions, in addition to New World white wines (from Australia
and Chile) and naturally sparkling wine and champagne. The red
wines, which are always my favourite tipple, are outstanding.
Again, there is a choice of ten with two interlopers. A Rioja
and an American Shiraz. In addition, there is a selection of fine
wines available for that special occasion.
Our choice, an excellent one, was for a bottle of Sicilian wine
which was delicate to the palate and inexpensive (at £11.95).
It was an extremely fresh tasting and drinkable wine which suited
the pair of us to perfection.
Especially for lunchtime (noon to 2.30pm Tuesday to Saturday)
there is two course set meal for £7.95 per person which
includes a choice of bruschetta, crostini alle olive, mixed salad,
tagliatelle, spaghetti, penne, one of two kinds of pizza, served
with a glass of house wine or soft drink.
The menu for a la carte is a much grander affair with a choice
of fifteen starters, nine of them vegetarian, ranging from soup
to salads and including dishes as diverse as deep fried calamari,
king prawns in spicy tomato sauce, asparagus with Parma ham and
parmesan, baked mushrooms, mussels in white wine with garlic,
parsley and tomato, the choice is delicious and varied.
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I opted for Mozzarella a Spasso (mozzarella wrapped in Parma
ham and sage and cooked in the oven) and my companion went for
Peperoni al Gorgonzola (pepper filled with grilled vegetables
and gorgonzola sauce). We were both delighted with our choices.
The main meal is a much fancier affair. To begin there is a choice
of 15 pizzas, seven catering for vegetarians, 13 pasta dishes,
three fish specialties, eight meat meals including beef, veal
and chicken, and six chef's specials. All meals are served with
a selection of fresh vegetables. Judging by what was happening
at other tables we decided not to go for the chef's specials,
the portions were generous to say the least and we could have
been there all day; it was a business lunch after all.
Our choices came down to Salmone (roasted fillet of salmon marinated
with fresh herbs and olive oil) pronounced excellent by my companion,
and Involtini dello chef (veal stuffed with spinach, olives and
mozzarella cooked in a Caraipipana sauce). I have to admit that
the sauce was a brilliant accompaniment; Caraipipana is a compound
of onions, peppers and tomatoes.
Excellent coffee and ice cream completed the meal.
There is nothing on the food menu that exceeds £14.50,
a Chef Special of char grilled beef fillet drizzled with a zabaglione
sauce and garnished with leeks and pistachio nuts (the dish takes
extra time if ordered). Most main meals are well under ten pounds.
The wine menu starts at £11.25 a bottle and can go as high
as you like ending with champagne at £28.
The San Pietro is an ideal place for a business lunch and is
attractively furnished to provide a perfect atmosphere for an
evening dinner. Service is helpful, discreet and prompt and we
certainly found nothing about which to complain.
The reviewer remained anonymous to the management.
San Pietro, 189 Garratt Lane, London SW18 (020 8871 9464) two
minutes from Wandsworth High Street. Service is not included,
all prices are inclusive of VAT.
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