17 Courses at Su Sazzagoni

Faced with the prospect of 17 courses, tracksuit bottoms with an exceedingly expanding waistline seem like the ideal attire. So, walking into Su Sazzagoni, I am instantly relieved to resist the temptation and merely arm myself with a ‘light’ early lunch.

Welcomed by a deli display fridge showcasing specialised ingredients from the menu, I quickly find my brave companion sitting with his back to the glass-fronting, munching on green olives and ‘long-lasting’ bread originally designed for shepherds.

Sitting opposite him in front of one of four long banquet style pine candlelit tables to face the gelato fridge and ice-cream blackboard, I’m greeted by the manager, Elena, who’s instantly keen to explain our ten starters and serve up traditional dry and fruity wine.

Minutes later, a convoy of generously portioned plates start to arrive in quick succession: cured meats; chicken livers in an onion and vinegar sauce; lentils with parma ham; grilled vegies; mussels filled with tomato, breadcrumbs and pesto herbs…all scrumptious – even the fish dishes are easily chowed down by someone who’s normally a fish foe.

Agreed, our personal favourite has to be the meatballs ‘nanny style’ – apparently normally only found in Sardinian homes, these light and moreish specialities are dual meat with nutmeg, carrots and onions.

Having courageously battled the army of deliciously covered plates, Elena tells us it’s time to take a break.

‘Agriturismo’ are farms traditionally serving dishes made of homegrown ingredients popular in certain parts of Italy and Sardinia, with menus typically comprised of a variety of starters, two pasta dishes, baby pork, other meats and vegetables and cake. Sazzagoni’s ‘Cena Agristuristica’ menu (£45 per head, including wine) is true to this tradition and Elena’s southern Sardinian routes keep the menu a mere 10 per cent Italian.

Our daunting array of starters are followed by two delicious pastas – one vegetarian ravioli and one with aromatic sausage and pasta shapes like none I have ever seen before, clearly unique to the region. Lounging back to soak in our rustic themed surroundings, there is little time to sup on the delicious house white, Aragosta Vermentino Di Sardegna, before crispy suckling pork and yet more sausage arrives, served by a grinning chef with potatoes and cruditee that we decide to sacrifice for greater meaty goodness.

Pretty stuffed but determined we sample the dusted apricot biscuits and saffron parcels before a final coffee hit. Nearly three hours since commencement and we’re just about still able to move. Our final shot of the popular Sardinian liquor, Mirto, is something else completely new to me – a syrupy alcoholic-tasting Dandelion and Burdock made from myrtle plants.

While the green wooden fronting of the restaurant might match expectations of your average Italian restaurant’s colour scheme, Sazzagoni’s delicious 17-courser blows most other Italian eateries out of the water. Although Sazzagoni’s vast online menu promises plenty of tempting dishes, newcomers to the restaurant must take on the reasonably-priced ‘Cena Agristuristica’ and appropriately prepare for battle to fully savour this memorable experience.

Su Sazzagoni
136 Lauriston Road
Hackney
E9 7LH

Tel: 020 8985 8448