Zucca is an ideal example of how to get the simple things right

10 April 2012

A River Café with no river but meals at about a third of the price is a workable summary of the recently opened Zucca (Italian for pumpkin) in Bermondsey. It comes as no great surprise to discover that chef/proprietor Sam Harris has worked at the hallowed Hammersmith restaurant. He has also done time at Bibendum and Harvey Nichols and been an Egon Ronay inspector.

One way and another those experiences turned out to be ideal preparation for what I would describe as an ideal restaurant. It is one of life’s great mysteries how seldom budding restaurateurs apply the apparently simple formula of fresh food imaginatively but also accurately cooked, with amiable, clued-up, efficient service, a well-researched wine list, comfortable seating at the right height for the tables and enough light to read the menu by. That is pretty much what it takes, but as we all know, not what invariably, or even frequently, happens.

Harris also runs Maltings Café at Sarsons Brewery Works on Tower Bridge Road. Dedication there to "simple Mediterranean food" has evidently — blogs are ecstatic — been good practice for a restaurant concentrating on Italian cooking, simple by nature. As at the River Café, food preparation is visible behind a counter that runs the length of the back of the room. Part of the space is dedicated to an espresso machine and wine storage, in front of which there are stools to perch on. White melamine tables in the dining area are simply laid but the napkins are linen.

The brief menu offers seven antipasti (priced from £3 to £4) crying out to be shared, followed by a couple of pasta dishes in two sizes, three fish dishes and the same number of meats. Desserts comprise tart of the day, cake of the day, ice creams, panna cotta with poached plums and a plate of Piedmontese cheeses.

The meal kicked off with an impressive array of homemade breads including focaccia and also little cubes of spinach quiche with a high proportion of greens to eggy binding. Sprouting broccoli with walnut and anchovy and the smaller serving of spaghettini with tomato sauce and salted ricotta were our choice of first courses — plus "Zucca" fritti, since it seemed impolite to leave it out. Perfect restraint had been applied both to the potential foot-stamping quality in anchovies and the quantity of pasta in a guileless reduction of tomatoes.

Pasta is so often over-supplied and over-sauced over here but this was just right. The anchovies and nuts added an element of mystery to a vegetable not necessarily known for it. Strips of squash came wreathed in batter, which was unexpected — I was anticipating the scars of char-grilling — but the batter was impeccable and a scattering of deep-fried sage leaves gave a nod to healthiness.

A veal chop for £12.50 is a rare sight on a menu, especially when it comes complete with a mound of sparkily seasoned spinach. The chop was not a giant but quite big enough and grilled to a point where a blush of pink was retained. Roasted pigeon was challenging to carve but, like everything else, its seasoning was spot on and enlivening. A large slice of ciabatta sootily toasted over charcoal was a suitably robust accompaniment and heavenly when a little bit sogged in the juices of the bird.

Tart of the day last Thursday was almond and rhubarb and very good too in its parsimony with sugar. The all-Italian wine list, divided by regions, is a treasure trove. There are Tuscans such as the Sassicaia Tenuta San Guido 2005 at the giveaway (restaurant) price of £110. I will go back to Zucca with more people, both to appreciate the scope of the list and to hold our own in what is an undeniably noisy environment.

The menu states that "Use of mobile phones is both unsociable and unnecessary" and, I would add, impractical. Get in touch with the Bermondsey pumpkin and I promise, you will go to the ball.

Zucca
Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3TQ

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