Indulge in clams at the door, fish on ice and cocktails inspired by the sea.
Just entering Osteria Del Mare, the third restaurant from the Bocconcino group, gives you a real sense of occasion. The vast room boasts high, painted ceilings – it previously housed a bank – and ample space between tables. Glass sculptures at the entrance resemble giant clamshells. The ceiling lights are tentacled like an octopus. The banquettes are upholstered with aquatic scenes. Whole fish are displayed on ice in front of the open kitchen to demonstrate their freshness.
It all feels, in fact, more like Las Vegas or Dubai than London. Yet it’s on the Strand, five minutes’ walk from Trafalgar Square and almost opposite the storied Savoy Hotel, where the hell-raising actor Richard Harris had the last laugh when, carried past the dining room on a stretcher to the hospital where he died, he raised himself up on one elbow and quipped to the startled guests, “It was the food!”
But there’s no joking about the food at Osteria Del Mare. For the price, it’s seriously good.
We studied the menu over a refreshing couple of cocktails from an interesting list “inspired by the sea and the flavours of the Italian coast”, before deciding to share a starter of Yellowfin Tuna Crudo, Red Caviar and Ponzu Dressing. The red roe added little explosions of excitement to the melt-in-the-mouth fish, all given an umami tang by the ponzu dressing. It was so delicious we wished we’d ordered another.
The main courses were more of a mixed blessing. Swordfish Steak with Sicilian Caponata was deliciously smoky on the outside and tender on the inside, with a burst of extra flavour from the capers. Top marks, too, go to the Truffle Chips and Parmesan, where the truffle wasn’t allowed to dominate as it sometimes does, just lending the lightest whisper of a kiss to the taste.
As for our other choice, Octopus, Confit Potatoes & Cavolo Nero, it was an interesting touch to serve the black kale roasted in thin strips, so that it behaved like crispy seaweed. But the tentacles themselves – always a bit chewy, we know – tasted a little tough and overcooked.
Desserts were good, as you’d hope from an Italian restaurant, though nothing groundbreaking. Pistachio Tiramisù was just as it should be, while the vast Vanilla Cake Meringue was so light and delicate we started to imagine we’d devour the whole thing – only to find, two-thirds of the way through, it was a little too much on the sweet side to finish.
With all this, we only scratched the surface of the inventive menu, which also offers seafood platters, a selection of pizzas and pastas, and a chef’s tasting menu (Sunday to Thursday evenings) of five courses, together with wine pairings if so desired. All the more reason to return.
The only downside – not that it’s much of a problem for the diner, but it might be for the restaurant – is that it was only a third full. And this on a Thursday night, which is meant to be the new Friday.
Perhaps it draws more of a crowd before 6pm and after 9.30pm, when a theatre menu offers three courses and a glass of prosecco for £33. Or perhaps the bottomless brunch packs the place out on a Sunday. Or maybe the crowds gather on Friday evenings for the live music. Or it could be there’s a party of 18 secreted in the private dining room housed in the original bank vault, complete with a steel door.
Osteria Del Mare achieves the rare feat of providing a grand setting with an intimate feel – equally good for a romantic dinner, business meeting or a get-together with a gaggle of friends. And the service is the best we’ve encountered in a while.
GO: Visit https://bocconcinorestaurant.co.uk for more information.