London’s vibiest pub group makes its biggest move yet
Responsible for The Hart, The Fat Badger, The Hero and The Pelican (plus The Bull in Charlbury), it’s fair to say that Public House Group has nailed the posh pub with dining room format. Phil Winser, James Gummer and Olivier Van Themsche have also found success with Italian spot Canteen and now the trio have doubled down and opened another Italian restaurant, in what is its biggest departure from its winning formula so far. CeCe’s, open on a Notting Hill backstreet, is pure old-school glamour, bedecked with copper panelling, green velvet banquettes, palms, orb lighting, table lamps, an impressive central bar in the ground floor space, and mirrors absolutely everywhere, including completely mirrored loos.
Eat This
The opulent interiors have been paired with a menu of Italian classics. Like with the pubs and even at Canteen, the team aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel and are more interested in doing familiar flavours well.
The tomato & ricotta crostini, the burrata with bottarga (make sure to ask for bread with this, if you’re not offered it) and the pear, walnut and gorgonzola salad were our picks from the snacks and starters, proving that old adage of letting the ingredients do the talking.
The team are pretty proud of their pastas and rightly so. The pappardelle with ragu bianco had just the right amount of bite but the fonduta angolotti is the real star; plump glossy parcels in a deep onion sauce, aka cheese and onion, West London-style.
We also loved the Dover sole, which they take away to debone, which makes it easier to enjoy the courgettes, their flowers and the gorgeous buttery sauce. Get a side of the olive oil potatoes to soak it all up.
That left room for just a single scoop of gelato but what a scoop – a ricotta and honey combo that was so ridiculously rich, it was as if the kitchen had blended up cheesecake filling into an ice cream.
Drink This
The wine list is extensive, with plenty of Italian wines, a decent range of bottles from Burgundy, and Bordeaux, plus a smattering from Spain, Portugal and the rest of the world. There are some big boys (with the prices to match) on there but we went for a Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva from Valserrano that was a great match for the fish. There are also martinis and classic cocktails on the list, with the cucumber, mint and gin concoction seeming to be a very popular choice.
Why Go
Predictably, CeCe’s has already become a bit of a scene, so if you want to see and be seen over martinis and pasta, this is the place. And did we mention there’s a terrace?
Key Information
Address | 123a Clarendon Road, London, W11 4JG
For more information | @ceceslondon
