Chef Naz up at the pass at Ornella
So what do we need to know about Ornella?
It may have somehow escaped your notice that the team behind Highbury hit Lupa (restaurateur Ed Templeton, chef Naz Hassan and some relative unknown called Theo James) was opening a follow-up. If you have indeed been living under a rock these past few months, then let us enlighten you. It's another Italian restaurant, but this time they've moved further North in Italy for inspiration and influence, this time to Milan.
Where is it?
You'll find it on Wilton Way, diagonally across the road from another hot new recent opening, Teal by Sally Abe. This used to be the restaurant Fran's and it's a gorgeous corner site painted a buttery yellow you can't miss. To get here, there's Hackney Central station on the Mildmay Line just a few minutes' walk away.
This yellow corner site is what you're looking for
Where should we meet friends for a drink first?
The easiest answer is the always-heaving Spurstowe Arms on the next street corner, and there's always the lovely Wilton Way Deli and Wines wine bar just down the same street. We also like nearby Binch for a decent glass of wine.
Where should we sit?
The restaurant is divided into two rooms, both of which are light and airy. The first is the biggest, so if you're in a larger group, this is probably going to be your best bet. But we rather liked our window table in the second section, with a view over the frenetic activity at the kitchen pass.
The sunny main dining room at Ornella
And the food is Northern Italian?
It's full of classic Milanese dishes and, since chef Naz grew up there, he knows precisely what he's doing. It also helps that he's got a direct line to some amazing Italian produce ranging from 30-month aged Parmesan from Caseificio Rosola to gorgeous burro bianco from Veneto.
Here's what we tried:
Focaccia (£4.50) - A miracle version liberally soaked in olive oil and served warm to the table.
Vitello tonnato (£15) - as longstanding Hot Dinners readers will know, this is our must-have dish if it's on any menu. The one here was perfect with the little fried capers providing an extra salty buzz.
Saffron risotto for two (£32) - this was as good a Milanese risotto as the last memorable one we had in a workman's trattoria in Milan, years ago. They also do a version with ossobuco and gremolata, which we might have to go back to try too.
Veal Milanese for two (£55) - an elephant's ear cut of veal, perfectly cooked and seasoned. They thought it might be too much for us, but the only thing we took home in a doggy bag was the actual bone for a dog. We'd also like to note that our side of peas, onion and guanciale (£7) was stunning too.
Room for dessert?
There were two on offer when we went on the opening day. But while we were happy enough with the chocolate creme caramel, our favourite was this rustic-looking mille feuille.
Strawberry mille-feuille (£12).
What's on the drinks list?
Cocktails or aperitivo are naturally a big thing here. And there are plenty of classics like Negronis and Sbagliatos to try. But we're suckers for a new martini so this is what we went for.
Fig Leaf Martini, made with Malfy Gin, Cocchi Extra Dry Vermouth, and Parafante. This was outstanding, even more so because we were here on the technical opening day of the restaurant, with a packed house and they still managed to serve it really well chilled. An impressive 8.5 on the Hot Dinners chill scale.
Overall thoughts:
What an easy recommendation Ornella is. We actually preferred it to Lupa, so maybe our tastes lean more to Milanese than Roman? It's a lovely bright space and the kitchen team are absolutely knocking it out of the park. We didn't have a single duff dish and pretty much all of the things we did order were great. If this is your neck of the woods, then you now have a really good Italian on your doorstep. But no, we still haven't met Theo James.
More about Ornella
Where is it? 51 Wilton Way, London E8 1BG
How to book: book online here
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @ornella.restaurant
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Ornella. Prices correct at time of publication.
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