Lovely Summer lunch at Latium (London)

(Visited: July 2013)

Back again…

For us, Latium is a fixed feature when we are in London. Its immaculate produce and the great, balanced flavours draw us here again and again. (A previous review is here).

In this latest lunch the games were opened by a mild-flavoured pigeon with Summer truffle that was cooked just right and tender and light and I-want-more-of-this.

pigeon and truffle salad

Beside the classic tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms, a dish of swordfish ravioli came with the most ravishing of tomato sauces to accompany the (excellent) fish. Amazing to to find tomatoes of this quality in London. This is a new dish and we think it’s a winner.

Porcini (ceps) tagliatelle

Swordfish ravioli

Veal liver was buttery and melting, and the high heat of the cooking extracted the potent offaly flavour beautifully, the peas and broad beans giving that lighter Summery touch in an otherwise pretty strong ensemble.

calf liver with Tropea onions

The duck had made us curious because of a dodgy sounding broad bean and cherry accompaniment with Amarone sauce. But it worked a treat, it really did. The duck cut in the way you see in the photo instead of the more usual slices emphasises the succulence of the animal.

Duck breast with cherries and Amarone sauce

We tried their new pine-nut ice cream (good!) together with the usual favourites chocolate and hazelnut. And the millefeuille dish was lightness itself imbued with Summer fruit flavour – the pastry deserves a special mention.