Category: Bistro
Well,this is not so much a restaurant review but a warning…
P. and I were on our way to the Donmar Warehouse in Covent Garden to see a play and had a bit more than an hour beforehand to grab some food. Plenty of time we thought – little did we know. We went to a place that looked quick and chain-like with the intention of getting some reliable food and ended up at Rossopomodoro (Italian for red tomato). Rossopomodoro,as I learned later,is part of an Italian chain with origin in Naples wanting to bring “a little slice of Naples to London”.
The restaurant is rustic and not too big,but there were zillions of people working there. Well,maybe not exactly working but having leisurely chats with each other and fully ignoring the customers. The waitress and the chef clearly had something going…! It did feel a little bit that – as a patron in their establishment – you were disturbing their evening entertainment.
Look,it’s not that I don’t like people to be happy and enjoy themselves while earning money,but unfortunately the service was not the only problem,but the food! Believe me the food was the most revolting thing I have eaten in years.
P. went for the pre-theatre menu (mind you,we wanted to go to the theatre afterwards) and I had one main pasta dish. We shared the starter that came with the menu. A Tiella (which apparently is a Neapolese specialty) consisted of different items of unrecognizable deep fried stuff. I mean swimming in oil,artery-cloggingly deep fried. It looked revolting and tasted of old fat. I think one was deep fried mozzarella and one deep fried rice possibly? Disgusting.
Then the clock was ticking… we waited for 20 min,30 min,40 min… pre-theatre menu??? When we finally managed to disturb one of the waiters in their private conversations,and asked them to hurry up,they had not even started preparing our dishes. We did make the theatre by the skin of out teeth,but the stress! Especially with all that grease in our bodies…!
Coming back to the main course. P. struggled with the Calzone,it was really not good at all and so oily. My pasta (Scialatielli with ricotto,aubergine,tomatoes and basil) (9£) sounded very nice and seemed a safe choice but was close to being inedible. The pasta itself was doughy and the sauce was extremely heavy and greasy as well as completely tasteless,even after I had put half a jar of chilli flakes on top. Believe me,I was not sad that I had to leave more than 2/3 of the plate because we had to hurry to the theatre. And then it’s not even cheap!!
Don’t go there,I doubt it will be pleasant and also think of your arteries…! If you intend to get yourself closer to a heart attack it should at least be worth it!
- Food: 1/10
- Ambiance: 5/10
- Service: 1/10
- Value for money: 1/10
- Chances of returning: >0%
- Verdict:this is place is a crime against the Italian nation.
50-52 Monmouth Street,London
020 7240 9095
Hi! After reading this very colourful review,I know what do do…avoid this place!