BOCCONCINO, MAYFAIR

 Located on Berkeley Street, this chic Mayfair Italian restaurant is another (not-so) little gem that I recently had the pleasure of discovering.
Stepping through the main entrance, Bocconcino is actually much larger than it appears to be from the outside. Spread across two floors, there is a livelier dining/bar area downstairs, and the more intimate room at the end of the corridor where we were shown to our table. 
They are known to serve both classic and modern Italian cuisine using only the freshest of ingredients, served alongside a wide selection of exclusively Italian wines.
I had a sneaky peak of their menu on their website before my visit, so I knew that I was in for a treat that evening ... 

The starters all sounded really good, but we managed to narrow them down to a few that were recommended to us by our waitress. The first one that caught my eye was the scallops, which were juicy and nicely seared, served with a creamy cauliflower purée and bottarga (a delicacy of salted, cured fish roe) - a strong start to the meal.

We also had the classic favourite of deep fried calamari, coated in a light, crisp batter and served with tartare sauce.

We didn't miss out on the Andria burrata, a buttery, creamy fresh Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream, with a side of smoky aubergine and pesto - definitely one for the cheese lovers. The focaccia al rosmarino was super thin and crispy, and dangerously easy to snack on ...

Torn between the pan-fried dover sole and the pasta dishes, I eventually settled for the linguini with Scottish lobster and cherry tomatoes. The pasta was cooked al dente which is how I like it, mixed in the delicious tomato-based sauce with generous chunks of lobster - a dish that definitely did not disappoint.
WK ordered the Veal Milanese, another dish that had caught my attention, and we were both seriously overwhelmed by the size of it (!) 
That must have been the biggest portion of Veal Milanese that I have seen, it was a struggle to finish it, even between the both of us. Juicy, tender meat coated in a crunchy golden crust - if you love your meat, then this might the ideal choice for you.

By this point of the meal, as much as I love my desserts, I was happy to share one (!) dessert between the two of us. We went for the classic tiramisu which had a light and fluffy texture, with lovely hints of coffee and cocoa. We were however later coaxed into ordering the profiteroles with Chantilly cream and hot chocolate sauce, which is one of their signature desserts - we gave in rather easily (how could I say no to more dessert?), which was a satisfying end to our meal.

It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to dine at Bocconcino's, and I would recommend a visit if you're looking for somewhere to experience and taste some proper hearty Italian food - do remember to go hungry, as you may have noticed that their portions are rather generous (!). I didn't get to try their wood-fired pizzas, but from what I've heard and seen, they sure sounded/looked good, especially the Pizza con il tartufo with black truffle oil ...

The Cheekster, signing out x

The meal was complimentary, but views remain my own.

PIZZETTA & PROSECCO AT FIFTY9, MAYFAIR

Fifty9 is one of the latest trendy additions to Mayfair, set across two floors and features European-inspired design. Located in Berkeley Square, it is an ideal spot for after-work drinks, parties and private events. The space is brightly lit inside, with outdoor seating which plenty took advantage of on that fine summers evening.

The windows were open, allowing in the nice, cool breeze. Discreetly scanning the crowds for familiar faces, I eventually spotted our group, and was greeted by the lovely Kelly, Mya, and Montana from PRandEI. We were offered a glass of chilled prosecco upon arrival, which I graciously accepted - a good start to every weekend. And an even bigger plus when mine started mid-week...if only every week was like this.

I was actually quite hungry and my face beamed with excitement when the cheese and meat board was brought out. I did however adhere to the 'unspoken blogger rules' and refrained from touching the food until everyone had finished taking photos of it...we really are a disciplined bunch.

Their menu is simple and straightforward, consisting of a selection of appetisers, grilled sandwiches, salads, and their speciality hand-pulled pizzettas which I was very much looking forward to. Not just because I was pretty famished by then...

I don't really eat pizza that often, but when I do I usually prefer the thin crust ones. Their hand-pulled pizzettas were thin and crispy, and we were able to sample the different flavours available: chorizo, guindilla & piquillo peppers; prosciutto San Daniele & halkidiki olive; roasted mushroom & caramelised onion; and the classic Margherita.

There also seems to be less of the 'guilt-factor' with thin-crust pizzas (or pizzettas...) - less carbs...which also means you can eat more, right?
The kind barmen also prepared a few shots of bellinis for us. And of course the efficient staff also made sure that our glasses of bubbly remained topped up as the evening went by...

The underground club/bar was unfortunately closed that evening, but we were allowed to have a little look around.

For those of you interested to check it out for yourselves, Fifty9 if open from Monday to Wednesday from 12.00pm-1.00am, and from Thursday to Saturday from 12.00pm-3.00am. They are also available for private hire on Sundays - do check out their website for more information.

It was as usual lovely to see familiar faces as well as new - here's to more food, fun and bubble-filled evenings.

The Cheekster, signing out x