Saturday, February 23, 2019

Carluccio's | Richmond Reopening




Carluccios Richmond invited me along to the reopening party on Thursday 21st February 2019.

Joining the Carluccios team and a whole host of foodie guests for an evening of complimentary prosecco and aperitivi, I was able to sample some of the amazing dishes that have made it onto Carluccios new menu.

Roll back to 1999 and Carluccio’s had just opened – everyone was talking about the designer interiors, the all-day Italian menu, great coffee and fantastic shop. Twenty years on, at the Richmond restaurant, every detail has been reimagined. The interiors of the restaurant been revamped to suit a new generation, with plush blue velvet chairs and booths, gold hardware, stylish crockery and an updated deli.



The dramatic changes take inspiration from the late Antonio Carluccio’s first restaurant and deli, the acclaimed Neal Street in Covent Garden, and are inspired by his food heritage and today’s dining trends.

The restaurant feels modern and stylish, the new look features cosy corners, open spaces and vibrant colours. The insta-worthy foliage installation, eye-catching art and colourful ceramics are just the start of its fresh look.

For those lucky enough to get to the terrace on a summer's day can enjoy this suntrap, made for people-watching. The bar is equally the perfect pitstop for an espresso or a
refreshing after-work negroni or cold beer.



The Menu:
Standout interiors deserve standout food that fits the vibe. From appetising antipasto to small plates every new dish is mindful of Antonio Carluccio’s motto of MOF MOF (minimum
of fuss, maximum of flavour).



Must-tries are the heritage dishes, taken from the original Neal Street restaurant – Prawns Marinara (with plum tomatoes in a white wine sauce, chilli and fennel); Pappardelle ai Funghi (mixed mushrooms in a white wine and porcini sauce), and Spaghetti Vongole (cuttlefish ink spaghetti white wine, chilli, garlic and parsley).



Other new dishes include Seafood Linguine with prawns, mussels and squid, topped with a whole langoustine and bottarga, whilst on-trend vegan options come in the form of a warm Kale and Almond salad (with spinach, broccoli, mushrooms and semi-dried tomato pesto), chargrilled Cauliflower Steak (with hazelnuts, semi-dried tomato pesto, chilli and cannellini bean purée) and Veganesca Spaghetti (olives, capers, tomato, chilli, raisins and garlic and herb breadcrumbs, hazelnuts, walnuts and pine nuts). The new menu caters to all palettes and dietary requirements.


The Specials:
Take time out for a leisurely brunch (with or without prosecco) with new dishes like Avocado Benedict, Courgette Fritters, fluffy Ricotta Pancakes, and a ‘full vegan’ with borlotti beans, smashed avocado, courgette, portobello mushrooms and tomatoes sitting alongside all the classic egg choices and healthy choices of granola, fruit, porridge, fresh juices and super smoothies.


The Shop:
Something that hasn’t changed is Carluccio’s range of beautifully packaged artisan products sourced from small, family producers all over Italy. From Calabrian sun-dried tomatoes to hand-filled Piedmonte peppers and the finest olive oils, there’s everything from Italian larder essentials to that perfect foodie gift. 


What is new though is the cheese deli featuring a vast array of regional Italian varieties, including many rarely seen in the UK – creamy Piedmontese Carboncino, Sardinian Moliterno al Tartufo, with generous peels of black truffle and the Venetian Ubriaco. The more familiar Mozzarella di Bufala and Parmigiano still feature and can be enjoyed with an Italian wine match, including a great Lambrusco from the deli.




Desserts include Monte Viso, Carluccio’s take on a Baked Alaska and a sweet Poached Pear in a spiced red wine syrup with vanilla mascarpone.

Click here for the full menu.


Carluccio’s, 31-35 Kew Road, Richmond, TW9 2NQ

T: 020 8940 5037

Opening Hours – Monday – Friday 8am – 11pm

Saturday – 9am – 11pm
Sunday 9am – 10:30pm

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