A number of quality locals in Kew (we’re looking at you Café Ora, St Katherine’s and Cru), raising the dining bar in a suburb not previously known for culinary greatness. The pinnacle is Mister Bianco, Joseph Vargetto’s ode to anything Sicilian you can legally put in your mouth. In polite company anyway. Their simple bistro-style room is a comforting space – crisp linen-dressed tables are just waiting to be splashed with wet pasta sauce and shiny wineglasses are crying out for a lick of vino rosso. Due to popular demand, there’s extra space upstairs, including a private dining room.
Start with share-focused small plates: arancini filled with prawn, lemon zest and smoked paprika or a salumi plate of truffled salami and fuet anis (fennel seed and pork salami). Pasta and risotto feature and all are made in-house – perhaps a slow cooked duck tortellini with pistachio and currants. The extensive menu gets bigger, a parmesan and herb crusted veal sirloin is popular and there’s a range of dry aged steaks to be had. Save room for dessert - the lemon tart with blood orange marshmallow and sweet yoghurt topping is a treat.
