Theo Randall, London Review

Theo Randall can be found inside the Intercontinental Hotel on Park Lane. Specialising in Italian cuisine, it’s a good shout if you’re looking for something a little more authentic in the heart of London.

When we arrived, we decided to sample a couple of pre-dinner cocktails in the bar area. We opted for a ‘Martini di Amalfi’ - a lemon infused vodka cocktail with an interesting rosemary twist - and a ‘Bianco Americano’ - Cocchi Americano with pear vodka and pear puree. The cocktails were both visually impressive and well made.

After the cocktails, we were shown to our table where we decided to order an aperitif. Unfortunately a lot of time passed and it was only after asking three different waiters that our drinks actually arrived. Unfortunately, this was to set the tone for the rest of the evening, as the service was slow throughout.

“The main courses were in fact, delicious, and perhaps the saving grace of the evening”

To start, we ordered the fresh pasta stuffed with slow cooked veal, Pancetta and Trompette de la Mort mushrooms; and the risotto with violet artichokes, autumn truffles from Umbria, and Parmesan. The pasta was a little bland, however, the risotto was cooked very well.

R32;For our main courses, we enjoyed the whole Dover sole with capers, parsley, roasted peppers and Swiss chard with olive oil; and the wood roasted veal chop with Chanterelle grise mushrooms, Italian spinach and salsa verde.

The main courses were in fact, delicious, and perhaps the saving grace of the evening - although, another highlight was the bottle of 2011 Marlborough Pinot Noir, which was beautiful. Leaving the evening on a high, we decided to skip dessert.

It’s a shame that we were disappointed with the service at Theo Randall, because, overall the food was good. I would like to think that we simply visited on an off day, and so we would still recommend Theo Randall to anyone who appreciates a classic Italian cooking style. Although we might not rush back, I would certainly like to return in the future to see if the service was just a one-off; even if it is just to sample another of their delicious cocktails!