The dining room at Motorino, which shares some design traits with Town.
What can you tell us about Motorino?
This is the second collaboration between Stevie Parle and restaurateur Jonathan Downey, following the very successful Town that launched in Covent Garden earlier this year. But while Parle was front and centre for that restaurant, this time they've brought in ex-Lita chef Luke Ahearne to run things. Ahearne won Lita a Michelin star in less than a year, so hopes are high for his follow-up, which they've billed as a "modern London-Italian restaurant".
Where is it?
You'll find Motorino in the heart of Fitzrovia (Goodge Street station is closest), and it's taken over the space that used to be Percy & Founders. If you've been to Parle's Town, you'll immediately see some similarities in the design. There's a semi-modern/futuristic approach to the design that echoes the approach to the design of Town. It's particularly noticeable in the open kitchen that you'll see down the far end of the room. From the outside, that looks almost identical to Town:
Looking into the kitchen at Town, with Ahearne in charge.
Throughout, there are occasional references to the name of the restaurant, Motorino (itself a reference back to a previous restaurant of Downey and Parle, Rotorino in Dalston). So you'll see the odd photo or paintings of cars dotted around the space.
If you're thinking of arranging any parties in the festive period, there are three private dining rooms here at Motorino, two smaller rooms that flank the main PDR:
The main private dining room at Motorino.
Where should we go for a drink first?
A short stroll away, there are two pubs that are well worth checking out - The George and The Lore of the Land (the latter being Guy Ritchie's pub, which is actually very good). Nearer to the restaurant, we also really like Tiny Wine Bar.
There is, however, a bar at Motorino and it's a pretty large affair at the front of the building. As with Town, the drinks come from Kevin Armstrong (Satan’s Whiskers) and even if you aren't going to the restaurant, this could prove to be an extremely handy Fitzrovia drinking spot.
The bar at Motorino
What's on the menu?
The food here is described as "London Italian", so you'll see some of the dishes steer away from more traditional routes, like an agnolotti carbonara. There are also a few nods back to some of Ahearne's dishes that you might have seen at Lita.
The menu itself sticks to the more traditional Italian layout (snacks, starters, pasta, mains). We'd say aim for a starter and main each and share a pasta. As for the snacks, there's a lasagna fritta that wasn't ready for the menu when we visited, but if it's on, get that. But do not miss the foccaccia at all costs:
Wildfarmed Focaccia with rosemary, butter & olive oil (£8) - spectacularly good (and warm) focaccia. The only drawback being that it's very, very sticky, but we still wouldn't change it a bit.
As for the rest of the menu, here are our highlights:
Bluefin Tuna Carpaccio with corno peppers, coriander, sudachi (£26) - a clear throwback to Ahearne's time at Lita, this was one of his signature dishes there. A must if you haven't already tried it.
Chopped Dexter, fermented green chilli, porcini ketchup, shoestring fries (£18) - Another dish that's made the leap from Lita with a few twists on the dressing (that porcini ketchup in particular working wonders)
Gigli al Gin, fennel sausage, tomato & Fords gin (£22) - exceptionally good pasta.
Peposo - slow-cooked beef cheek, peppercorns, polenta (£29). Ahearne's take on a Tuscan stew with very tender beef in a rich sauce, and particularly well-rounded with really great polenta (a traditional element of peposo).
It's a side, but one that's not to miss - Tomato salad, shallots, sherry vinegar (£12)
There are a few other things on the menu, we'd note. First off, definitely get the pink fir potatoes with porchetta spice, that should go without saying. There's also a half/whole "chicken on toast" that should be worth a look (not on the menu when we visited). And there are two steaks on the menu too, a 24-day-aged flank (a pretty reasonable £24) and a 350g 45-day-aged ribeye (£48).
What about desserts?
We'd say you can easily save room for one dessert, and that s the lemon meringue below. There is a tiramisu too (every Italian restaurant has to have one these days) with a hint of Irish whiskey if that's more your preference. Or you could opt for a scoop of fior di latte ice cream with aged balsamic (£5) if you want to end on a lighter note.
Amalfi Lemon Meringue Pie (£10)
And drinks?
We'd strongly recommend a drink at the bar before or after your meal here. Cocktails are well-made and pretty decently priced too, with most of them coming in at £12. There are several takes on both negronis and martinis here, and there's a notable Italian slant to the list when compared with the cocktail list at Town (although a few cocktails do appear on both lists).
As far as the wine list goes, it's a European affair and we were a little surprised not to see more of an Italian approach here too (with only four Italian wines on there). Prices are about standard for London right now, starting at £38. And if you're off the booze, there are a couple of non-alcoholic cocktails, and no alcohol beer too.
Fig Leaf Margarita (Patrón Silver, Calabrian fig leaf, lemon, agave, £14) and the non-alcoholic Botivo Pressé (Botivo, elderflower, grapefruit, soda, £8)
Overall thoughts
The teaming up of Luke Ahearne and Stevie Parle was always going to deliver something interesting, and that's proved the case here. The cooking that Ahearne showcased at Lita is fully on display and with a few dishes still to come, it will only get better. It's worth noting that the prices here are significantly lower than Lita's.
Perhaps our only reservation is that the restaurant itself, particularly the retro-future design, seems too much like Town Mk II. Great as it looks, we can't help but think that Motorino could have done with more of its own identity, particularly when coming only five months after Town. But that might be nitpicking - the food here is fantastic, the atmosphere lively and if you're a fan of Ahearne's food, this is well worth a look.
More about Motorino
Where is it? Fitzrovia - 1 Pearson Square, London W1T 3BF
How to book: Book online or call 020 3500 4221
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @motorino.london.
Hot Dinners ate as guests of Motorino. Prices are correct at the time of writing.
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