This week, The Hunger visits to Venetian-inspired establishments. Restaurant Ombra opened just under a month ago at One Vyner Street, on the edge of east London's gallery district and Polpetto, above The French House in Soho and an smaller offshoot
Venetian restaurant Ombra opened just under a month ago at One Vyner Street, on the edge of east London's gallery district. And while the Hackney vista may not rival Venice's splendour, you can catch sight of Regent's Canal through the restaurant's tall brown-tinted windows, a relic from the building's manufacturing past. The oblong room has been left sparse, with big, high-gloss tables by artist Russell Bamber, and a long welcoming bar where you can eat or enjoy an Italian coffee. It has already become the lunchtime destination for the many artists, architects and designers who live and work in the area.
Having worked in Venetian kitchens for over twenty years, Ombra's head chef and co-founder Andrea Michelon (who originally trained as an architect) has now brought the region’s culinary tradition to London. "I'm following recipes that are 500-years-old," he tells us. "I try to make them simply and traditionally." Traditional Venetian food is a bit of a rarity not only in London, but in Venice itself. Difficult to find amidst an excess of pan-Italia tourist traps, it's easier than not to visit the city without finding authentic regional food. At Ombra, the concise chalkboard menu is likely to change throughout the day, depending on supplies and what’s inspiring Michelon at any moment (including off-menu requests, which are welcomed). First thing to mention is the baccalà mantecato, a Venetian specialty of dried cod that has been soaked, flaked and whipped with seed oil. It is a robust, flavoursome dish, and one that Michelon puts together with traditional flair. Another stand-out speciality is the carne salata, with rump steak from The Ginger Pig soaked for over a week in aromatic white wine, juniper, pepper, garlic, lemon, salt and saltpeter, all of which come together in a delicate marinade for the finely-sliced meat.
Despite Venice's wealth, common recipes from the region have their roots in cucina povera - as is the case for most of Italy. This is a cuisine born of necessity, calling for the creative use of available ingredients, and techniques that ensure longevity. Michelon describes his approach as "making the most of what you've got and being economic.” And certainly, the Ombra palate of home-cooked flavours offers a welcoming and uncomplicated type of comfort. This homespun approach is also reflected in the prices, with no one dish costing more than £7.00 on the day we visited, including fresh spaghetti Amatriciana with guanciale (pig’s cheek bacon), tomato and hot chilli, and a savoury, satisfying eggplant parmigiana made with Cypriot vegetables bought from local vendors. They also source their bread from the nearby E5 bakery.
Eventually Michelon is hoping to bring even more of the Venetian experience to Ombra, by offering a cicchetti menu in the evening - small, tapas-style plates enjoyed whilst standing at a bacaro – a side street wine bar where “old men eat cicchetti before lunch and dinner,” Michelon explains. “Everyday they make the rounds, one little plate at each place, as a ritual."
Restauranteur Russell Norman was also inspired by the cicchetti menus of Venice, capturing his favourite regional flavours for the menu at Polpetto, above The French House in Soho. Established now for nearly a year, Polpetto is the smaller offshoot of Polpo, Norman’s first bacaro-inspired restaurant in London. While the food may be Venetian, Polpetto takes its stylistic cues from New York. “In downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn you get little neighbourhood joints that are very easy,” Norman explains. “There's never any lofty concept behind them, just relaxed places that serve interesting food. We wanted to do the same in London by serving Italian small plates in a convivial and exciting environment.”
The baccalà at Polpetto is also deliciously homemade, as are the thin, fried zucchini chips. Norman regularly visits Venice looking for new ideas. “On a recent trip we had cuttlefish eggs, which have a wonderful, velvety texture," he tells us. "And we’ve now found suppliers on the South Coast of England. It's important to source locally as much as possible, so we're constantly experimenting with lovely little ingredients we find in Venice that we can get here as well.”
Text by Ananda Pellerin
Ananda and Neil visited Ombra on Sunday, July 10 at 3pm, and Polpetto on Monday, June 7 at 11am.
Ananda Pellerin is a London-based writer and Neil Wissink is a visual artist also based in London. More from The Hunger here, and contact The Hunger here.
