Last night we popped into La Polenteria for a quick pre-comedy gig dinner.
I love polenta but even so I don't make it as often as I could. It is normally compared to mashed potato which is a reasonable comparison but it seems a bit more sophisticated than that to me. The USP of La Polenteria is that every dish contains polenta. I was excited to find out if they could pull off such a menu: would it be too restrictive or would it serve as a platform for unbridled creativity?
We started off with some of the polentini or "polenta bites". Three small slabs of grilled polenta serving as vessels for typically delicious Italian toppings. Our favourite was the gorgonzola and walnut combination.We were off to a good start.
For main there was no way I could resist the wild boar ragu with wet polenta. The wet polenta wasn't as wet I was expecting but it didn't really matter .It was delicious. The ragu had a real depth of flavour and the polenta working in harmony as a comforting partner.
On a dank March evening this was perfect comfort food. Once I had finished, I wanted more even. None of the desserts appealed which was good because I was stuffed.
It's a small restaurant with a rustic wooden and metal interior. The tables are very close together but that can be forgiven in such a small Soho location. By the time we came to pay the bill the place was almost full, mostly it seemed with Italians. Surely a good sign?
Unfortunately, the service was less than to be desired: it was less than attentive. Long gaps between courses and Having asked for the bill we were ignored for what seemed like an eternity especially frustrating when you've got a show to go and see.
I'd definitely go back. I'll be interesting to see how they develop the menu for the summer months. I'll make sure I've got nowhere to be afterwards though.
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