Giulia
Shepherd's Bush, London
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Occupying premises that were once Adam’s Café (a steady presence in the Guide from 1992 to 2012), it’s good to see this ‘dear, bijou place’ back in the spotlight once again. Now in the capable hands of Giulia Quaglia and chef Endris Kerbizi, it is proving its worth as a genuinely impressive neighbourhood restaurant, one which has been warmly embraced by an appreciative local crowd who pile in for exemplary Italian dishes chosen from a short, monthly changing carte. They might be eating the never-off-the menu seared octopus served with cauliflower, potato purée and 'nduja sauce, ahead of glorious house-made pasta – perhaps ewe's ricotta ravioli with a mint and Italian pea velouté, or well-judged bigoli alla carbonara. Heftier mains could take in beef ribeye tagliata or a pair of lamb cutlets teamed with carciofi alla romana and burned peppers – to which we added a side of superbly flavoured buttered spinach. Rounding things off, classic desserts range from brown caramel panna cotta via tiramisu to ‘the best pistachio ice cream’. The menu’s rhythm never falters, thrumming with quality from start to finish, while the short all-Italian wine list opens at £28, with a decent good choice by the glass. There's no doubt that Giulia's pared-back aesthetic, its short, regularly changing menu and the kitchen's light, contemporary touch embody the capital’s take on Italy.
