Spaghetti House Review

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London 2012 Olympic Games: As It Happened

Today's Events In Summary
• Two of today's Olympic hopefuls shamefully arrived 30 minutes late
• Team GB's Leo Owen successfully completes all three courses
• Sicily's musical “bread” wins gold after nosh-down
• Italy's amaretto wins double silver
• Stella Prosecco secures bronze for Veneto
• Spaghetti House beats other teams in creating an authentic Italian feel

20.30: Welcome to the evening session on Day 9 of the London 2012 Olympic Games. The morning session saw Ed Clancy claim bronze in the men's omnium, gymnast Beth Tweddle win a historic bronze medal, and Andy Murray thrash Switzerland's Roger Federer to win gold on centre court.

Locally-based American and Russian teams made a pit-stop at Spaghetti House, alongside nearby volleyball spectators and athletes. Here evening business has boomed during the games, resulting in true Olympic spirit inside the venue. Younger fans, relatives and supporters were entertained with Olympic themed games that adorned the back of the day's “programme”.

We'll be keeping you up to speed with Leo Owen’s vegetarian versus meat, light-dimming moments and dessert-related action.

20.40: Cheers of “right good” are heard spurring on the Salice Salentino Riserva Doc. The Pinot Grigio Blush from Veneto puts in an admirable performance too but it's the Prosecco Stella that wins bronze, wowing the crowd with its palatable light but not too sweet quality.

20.47: Poached asparagus gently flavoured with a lemon and parsley vinaigrette goes head-to-head with the Antipasto Contadino (parma ham, salame felino, coppa, bufala mozzarella, marinated artichokes, green olives). The Antipasto wins without question, clearly taking the lead with its mix of unsalty and ungreasy fleshy olives and amazingly moreish artichokes. It looks like a victory but the Sicilian music bread from the Pane Casareccio basket cuts in at the last moment to take the gold. Its unusual texture and delicious taste leaves coaches contemplating soaking more entrants in rosemary, olive oil and rock salt as part of their pre-games warm-up.

21.00: The lights of the stadium dim almost unnoticed as competitors busy themselves, hungry for a winner. The coach of Team Spaghetti House comes out to evaluate the suitability of his entrants and receives a warm welcome. He's passionate about his work and he vocally expresses this enthusiasm, simultaneously patting a well-cultivated chest as further confirmation.

21:23: Penne Manzo, surprise contender for silver, is quoted as saying: “I put my all into ensuring I was tasty without being too overwhelming: saucy, and satisfying with succulent steak strips and a slightly cheesy finish.” Penne’s main rival spaghetti combined its key ingredients (slow-fried garlic, fresh chillies, parsley and extra virgin olive oil) to good effect but, when it came to the final moment, despite both being deemed tasty, neither contender performed to gold medal winning standard.

22.30: Team GB’s Leo Owen gives her feedback on the dessert’s performance: “Delicious double amaretto ice cream and crunchy praline combine with a shot of di saronna liqueur to safeguard Coppa di Saronno's unique silver victory. Although pleasingly presented in a coffee cup with biscuits, mascarpone and an equal splash of di saronna liqueur, the tiramisu is slightly too creamy and lacks the boozy kick of its worthy competitor who wins without a counter appeal.”

23.00: This medal winning is getting repetitive now. Italian chain Spaghetti House have already secured a gold, silver and bronze in one sitting. It's clear each special introduced poses a serious threat to other contestants.

23.30: The stadium lights intensify and it's clear today's extraordinary events are coming to a close.
...read more

Leo Owen 13 Aug 2012

Spaghetti House Description

Overlooking Kensington Gardens this small but perfectly formed, boutique resaturant is part of the Spaghetti House ‘family’, London’s longest established restaurant group since 1955 (still family-owned and privately-run).

Aimed at local residents and businesses, this Italian restaurant is in keeping with the ‘Kensington look’, offering subtle and stylish interiors, where calming shades of green perfectly offset the stronger splashes of colour, with light wooden tables and banquette seating for contrast. Neutral walls create the perfect backdrop for the black and white photos with scenes of rustic and urban Italian life.

Making a bold menu statement ‘Vivere per mangiare, non mangiare per vivere’ (live to eat, not eat to live) the kitchen is at the heart of the restaurant and in full view of the diners. The chefs dish up the consistently good and authentic food for which Spaghetti House has been known for five decades, and which is now served with a contemporary take.

With food showing its Italian provenance, there are Nocellara del Belice olives from Sicily served on ice, rustic breads from Sardinia and Puglia, artisan pasta and Arborio rice from Piemonte for risotto, and of course the best, matured Parma Harm from Emilia-Romagna. There are assaggini and antipasti, sharing platters, regional fish and meat specialities, tasty stone-baked pizza, to be washed down with a choice of quality wines.

Nestled in a parade of popular shops, Spaghetti House Kensington is an urban oasis for shoppers, families and local workers, neighbouring the popular family haunts of the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Royal Albert Hall and Kensington Gardens....read more

Customer Reviews for Spaghetti House

Average (based on 2 votes): 2 Atmosphere: Value: Quality:

The following customer reviews are not endorsed by Fluid London and are simply those of users who wish to publish their independent experiences of Spaghetti House.

“Pretty impressed with this chain. Fast service and tasty food. Yum.”
Atmosphere: Value: Quality:
Jess Long, London (8 months 28 days ago)

“Everyone who works at this Kensington Italian restaurant is so friendly, chirpy and works tirelessly to make sure everyone has a good time. Hats off to the staff. The food was very good too. I had the veal with sauteed potatoes and was very happy indeed. A top restaurant if you're looking for value-for-money whilst out shopping or going to the Royal Albert Hall for a concert. Or, indeed, if you're out for a stroll in Hyde Park.”
Atmosphere: Value: Quality:
The Restaurant Hunter, London (1 years 1 months 22 days ago)

Spaghetti House Opening Hours

Additional Information

• Cuisine Type: Italian
• Group: Spaghetti House