Price*: £38-£45
(*based on two course meal for two with drinks)
Summary: An entirely gluten free Italian Restaurant with a focus on polenta dishes.
Service: Table service.
Special Diets: Gluten free. Omnivore. Vegetarian. Vegan
Favorite Dish:
Ambiance/Atmosphere:
A few moments from Soho square on the popular bustling Compton Street, La Polentaria is about as central as you can get. The restaurant was packed full of people enjoying their evening meal over glass of wine, a hum of conversation and a buzzing yet relaxed atmosphere. The restaurant is warmly lit and furnished with rustic wooden tables and chairs. The decor is very neutral but livened up with some interesting elements such as black boards, wall prints and displays which add character to the restaurant without overwhelming & overcrowding it!
Customer Service:
We were shown to our table by our waiter who explained the concept behind La Polentaria and made sure that we were comfortable. We continued to be looked after by attentive and friendly staff throughout our evening and all the front of house team were very helpful and accommodating.
Food & Drink:
La Polenteria is an entirely gluten free Italian restaurant with a focus on Polentaria dishes though there is a large range of pasta, gnocchi and other Italian favorites also available. There are meat dishes on the menu and a varied selection of vegan and vegetarian dishes to choose from all of which are clearly labelled.
For our starter Josh ordered the Polenta with asparagus, egg scamorza cheese
and truffle oil; I opted for the courgette & ginger box stuffed with fresh
vegetables topped with caramelised onions. Both these dishes were delicious and flavourful and were generously portioned. The subtle hint of ginger particularly bought out the flavors in my dish and added a nice twist - perhaps not authentically Italian but tasty all the same. For our main course we both went for pasta dishes; Josh's polenta gnocchi with truffle cheese dish was rich and creamy with a rustic home made taste and feel. My home made olive pasta served
with vegetables topped with nuts dish was beautifully presented with a subtle range of flavours it was generously portioned too. Sadly the pasta was a little overcooked for my taste.
There was only one vegan option on the dessert menu, which I didn't particularly fancy as it was pasta-based; however Josh found room for dessert opting for tiramisu. Once again the dessert portion was very generous and the food was tasty.
There was a selection of alcoholic beverages available; beers, wine and a choice of soft drinks. I ordered a coffee with soya milk to finish my meal which was adequate.
La Polenteria is definitely one to keep an eye on and worth a try. Tasty food, lovely atmosphere and great staff .It is growing increasingly in popularity and it is clear to see why. There is a little way to go in perfecting the dishes and recipes however they are really worth popping along to if you are after a nice carby Italian meal that is tasty and filling.
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