Da Polpo, Covent Garden

I haven't even made it to Russell Norman's third baby when in a blink of an eye, the fourth sibling is born. I finally made it to the third baby Spuntino and the next day it was Da Polpo.

It was a catch up with some food bloggers and we found ourselves heading to Da Polpo on the second day of its soft opening for lunch. I had such a great time that I dragged my workmate with me back for lunch again the next day. Below is a combination of what was eaten in the two lunches.

Pizette

Pork Shoulder & Pickled Pepper £6

I like the contrast of the pork with the pickled pepper. The base was thin and crispy which sits well and you won't feel weighed down eating this.

Spinach, parmesan and soft egg £5.5

One of the highlights for me. This is served in Polpo as well and made its way into Da Polpo too. Since I have not been to Polpo, this was my virgin experience and I absolutely love it. The softness of the spinach went really well with the barely-there texture of the egg, with the parmesan rounding out the balance nicely. I could not help gushing about this to Russell when he passed by.

Meatballs

Spaghettini & meatballs £7

We got a mix of the lamb and mint and pork meatballs. Freshly made meatballs, the lamb has a heavier and heartier taste. The spaghettini was chewy and springy on the first day I had it, on the second day it was overcooked and a tad too soft.

Piadina meatball smash £8

I prefer the pork meatball in this as it was lighter in flavour which allowed the sauce and thin crispy xxx to shine through as well. I almost wished that the piadina was thicker as it seems to have lost its presence between the sauce and meatballs.

Plates

Chilli & garlic prawns £6.5

This was good but unassuming.

Grilled asparagus, buttered eggs & parmesan £7.50

I like this one. Nice crunchy asparagus that tasted of fresh spring, the creaminess of the buttered eggs complemented it well with a savoury hint from the Parmesan.

Fritto Misto £8

Nicely fried with no aftertaste of oil or greasiness. This was enjoyed very much.

Grilled thin cut sirloin £8.5

Thin cut it may be but tender and juicy it was.

Mozarella & Broad Beans £9

This had a fresh and clean taste.

Desserts

Tiramisu pot £4.5

I am really particular with tiramisu and Da Polpo's version may not be the best but still good nonetheless. Only critic I had was the sponge fingers at the bottom was too soggy.

Black cherry Gelato cone £4

Being served a scoop of gelato in a cone and presented in a glass brought a smile to my face. It instantly brought me back to feeling like a kid. With the sun rays glistening against my black cherry gelato, I took my cone and happily ate it. Apparently this and the coconut flavours are popular.

A great addition to have in Covent Garden, this is hearty food set against a rustic decor which allows the sun to shine in. Much more lovely and definitely a great place to soak in the scarce sunshine in summer.

And if you’re looking for something refreshing and zingy, try the MGM.

Will I recommend: Yes
Will I come back: Yes

Have I had better: Yes & No

Da Polpo, 6 Maiden Lane, London WC2E 7NA

http://www.dapolpo.co.uk/