Published: 19 August, 2010
by MATTHEW LEWIN

I VERY rarely award five stars to restaurants, but I have no hesitation when it comes to Ottolenghi in Upper Street. There is an exuberance and originality that it quite thrilling – and you can have a three-course meal for around £25.

The cuisine is difficult to classify. Ottolenghi is an Italian Jewish name and chefs Yotam Ollolenghi (Israeli) and Sami Tamimi (Palestinian) have a way with things like lemon juice and roasted nuts, wonderfully original salads and vegetarian offerings, roasted aubergine, char-grilled courgettes, baked baby artichokes, and baked baby squid.

At the same time they have a profound understanding of European tastes for goose liver, confit, English beef and English puddings.

Most diners sit facing each other at long communal tables. The menu offers a choice between dishes from the counter, and from the kitchen. The former comprises salads of various kinds with char-grilled vegetables, courgettes, roasted aubergine, char-grilled beef and tuna – most around the £8 mark.

The dishes from the kitchen are the main courses, really, and include everything from seabass and seared king prawns to lamb cutlets, roast pork belly, and asparagus with poached duck. These are all around the £10 mark.

We tried a superb salad of grilled peaches with mixed leaves, goat’s cheese, spicy caramelised macadamia nuts and an orange blossom dressing. It all fitted together beautifully.

The other winner was some pan-fried lamb sweetbreads with a polenta crust and caponata. Also excellent was the pan-fried sea bass on puff pastry with caramelised endive, mixed herbs, pink grapefruit and pistachio sauce.

Ottolenghi is one place where you don’t ignore desserts. Between us our party of four had a very nice baked vanilla cheesecake, a very intense chocolate and rum fondant cake, and a brilliant dessert of apricot, mascarpone and almonds.

All of this, including a bottle of wine and service came to £35 a head. 

SUMMARY

Stunning Italian/Mediterranean.

Rating: 5 Stars

European restaurant and patisserie. Open every day from 8am for breakfast, lunch and dinner (Sunday from 9am-7pm). Expect to spend around £25 a head for food before drinks and service.

Ottolenghi, 287 Upper Street, N1020 7288 1454, www.ottolenghi.co.uk

• Sign up to Matthew’s weekly newsletter at: www.matthews-table.com