Pasta Remoli, Finsbury
An all-day Italian eatery, as well as take-away joint, which perfectly caters to all your pasta-related desires? Whether it be creamy, tomato-based, spicy, filled pasta, meat, non-meat, whole wheat, gluten-free, decadent or classically simple? Yes. Every craving is catered for here.
Previously only located at its flagship in Westfield and now also in Finsbury Park, where I ventured for dinner, Pasta Remoli specialises in handmade pasta of all sorts as well as homemade sauces that can be eaten in or taken away (cooked or uncooked). A first online glance at the venue made me concerned that it was merely a fast-food-cum-quick-bite-for-lunch locale. However, the restaurant does indeed translate well into evening dinning with moderate lighting and a laid-back ambience, rather than what I imagine would be a frenetic lunch hour.
One of my main menu conundrums when it comes to ordering pasta is that I tend to like the sauce but not the pasta shape it comes with or vice versa. So the beauty of Pasta Remoli’s menu is that you can actually mix and match, as well as having a great variety of both. And if you are particularly stuck or overwhelmed by choice, the staff are well-equipped enough to guide you through or offer some helpful suggestions.
We start with the pappardelle with creamy mushroom sauce followed by classic beef Bolognese and paccheri. Now, I’m a big fan of chunky bold pasta and both of these were great, especially the pappardelle. All cooked perfectly al dente and with a great coating of the rich hearty sauces. The filled pastas also did not disappoint either, as we delved into the aubergine and roasted tomato ravioli with cherry tomato and ricotta sauce followed by the delicate pillows of truffle and mushroom ravioli with simple butter and sage topping. I only wish I had left room to try their oxtail sauce too, though even I have certain limitations when it comes to pasta overindulgence.
The specials board also offered other Italian influenced delicacies in order to give the menu more of a range such as deep fried ox cheeks and borlotti bean with Italian fennel infused sausage stew. While these two were perfectly nice, I did feel that it detracted focus from the pasta a little, along with their quite uninspiring desserts of panacotta and ricotta cake.
While I can understand the need to be an all-rounder – Pasta Remoli offer breakfasts, afternoon teas as well as delving into other areas of Italian cuisine – there is a lot to be said to sticking to what you’re good at here. If I choose to visit somewhere that prides itself in having delicious freshly made pasta, then that’s exactly what I will want, and that is exactly what you will get here.
7 Clifton Terrace
Finsbury Park
N4 3JP
Tel: 0207 263 2948
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