Novikov Italian Restaurant is located in the heart of Mayfair. The restaurant has an unmissable identity and an electric atmosphere, it’s real a joy to experience. From the moment we arrived we could see everywhere was busy, thankfully we were seated in the corner allowing us to admire the entire restaurant.
There has been much hype surrounding the Novikov brand so we were keen to revisit and see how they have rooted their position in the British marketplace. One thing that’s apparent is the quality of the cuisine, and this is why it’s still packed on a Monday night several years after its opening period.
Being an Italian restaurant we were keen to sample the pasta, another aspect that added authenticity to our experience was that the serving staff were Italian, at least the ones we encountered were. It’s definitely the place to go if you’re wanting to impress your associates, it certainly delivers on food equally as much as it does in atmosphere.
We began our evening with an aperitif, two glasses of Taittinger Prestige, Rose Brut, NV. A well balanced, delightful pink champagne.
“Italian charm in the heart of Mayfair.”
We started with a primi piatti. I opted for the Linguine, with native lobster and datterino tomato. A dish marked with quality, the lobster was flavoursome and incredibly fresh. My partner ordered the Tagliatelle with bolognese sauce, an authentic Italian dish and perfectly executed.
Moving on to the secondi piatti, I ordered the 8oz Welsh lamb cutlets, served with new season tomatoes and mint sauce. The lamb could not have been more tender and flavoursome, it was well seasoned and tasted delicious. My partner ordered the Wood roasted suckling pig with baked apples and thyme. This was another outstanding dish that showcases what the skilled chefs at Novikov are capable of.
Our chosen wine for the evening was a bottle of 2014, Willunga 100, McLaren Vale Grenache, Australia. A lovely full-bodied red, with plenty of spicy notes and red fruit aromas to explore. The bar is set high at Novikov, but they continue to consistently deliver, we can’t wait to return.
