Bocca di Lupo

I have tried to love Bocca Di Lupo, I really have. But at the end of the day I just don't. It's not me, it's you; you're just not my type.

And this is odd, as you really should be. Deep fried fish, game, interesting wines. They're all here. But, and I don't really know why, the whole is somehow so much less than the sum of the parts, that I just can't find the love. Like finding out that Kylie supports Spurs; heartbreaking as, on paper, everything seems so perfect.

It's not as if I haven't tried; this is the fourth or fifth time I've been, but it still doesn't click. I'm sorry, but it's Polpo for me from now on for small dish Italian nosh.

This weekend was the second time I'd tried to go in the last few weeks. The previous time I'd booked for four. One pulled out so, when I was called to reconfirm, I confirmed for three. The fourth then changed their mind, but, on calling the restaurant, I was first told I'd only ever had a booking for three, and was the told there was no way we could up our booking to four. Now I'm sorry, but the restaurant has tables for two or four. Where exactly were three going to sit; on a table otherwise for two or four?

So I cancelled and we went to Ten Cases. Yet I still got chased for not having turned up.

Now I suppose that this should have been a warning. But no, a couple of weeks later I tried again. No troubles with booking, but arriving ten minutes late, we were told that our table wasn't ready. The great thing about modern technology (other than updating cancellations, it seems) is that everything comes up on the reception screen. No reservations book, all on screen.

So I could stand there and watch the red flag counting by how much the people on our table had overstayed their allotted time. 26 minutes overstaying for a two hour reservation. Sorry, but you need to manage this if you don’t want people to get annoyed about standing around waiting for a table that they have booked. Now I don’t like aggressive table turning, but I do like to sit at some time close to when I’ve booked for.

Eventually we were asked if we'd like a drink and, on having ordered, our table became free.

There is no denying that room is great: a long bar (or chef's counter) leading to babbling cacophony of contented chatter, raising to occasional shrieked welcome as BFFs great each other in some weird non-mating ritual. Tables of two occupy the walls and some four person tables in the middle. Some of which, I noted, were laid up for three. Odd that.

Food is laid out under headings like “fried”, “pasta and rice”, “meat” etc. And the food is generally pretty good. Having had the fried olives recently at Spuntino, we thought we'd try some, together with some fried Mozzarella balls, whilst we decided what else to ingest.

Oh dear. Not a good start: we'd been told be the (extremely helpful) waitress that the olives were the size of golf balls. Fair enough, the more traditional cured ones brought to the table with the bread were enormous. At Spuntino they come stuffed, lightly coated and fried. Here, the olive is but an ingredient in a veal and olive meatball. Nice in its way, but not quite what we'd wanted. Nor too the fried mozzarella balls, which were soggy and cold. A deep fried frigid cheese oozing water is not what I was looking for.

The fried squid and prawns was a serious step up. Light batter, crunchy fresh and piping hot. Very nice indeed. “Oh yes”, our waitress assured us on seeing our enjoyment of the dish, “people are often surprised at how good the food is: we’re a hidden gem”. Hidden gem? Come on – BdL has had almost as many column inches over the years as Heston had when he opened Diner. And for the amount of coverage that it has had, it needs to be better.

That said, the pasta was well cooked and fine, if not memorable, and the beans very nice too. The teal, however, was horribly over-cooked. I had expected more as, having been warned that it was served pink, and having seen the pigeon and mallard at the next table arrive dripping red goodness, I assumed that the teal would be treated with respect and come with the redness of the myoglobin swimming out, mixing with the wet polenta. Perhaps the next door table had complained about just how pink their game was. Perhaps the teal was forgotten in the oven. What ever the reason, it was not pink at all. It was brown. The teal is a tiny bird. It takes skill and care to shoot it (trust me, I’ve tried and failed). The least that the kitchen could do is to take as much skill and care in cooking it.

Wine is a high point, and the staff are good at suggesting interesting ones: a call for a glass of white was met not with the usual generic pino grigio, but an interesting Fiano and the red was, whilst from Piedmont, an unusual Langhe DOC rather than the more usual (and expensive) Barolo or Barbaresco.

As if to compound the hit and miss nature of the service, the bill came with a couple of items that we hadn’t had.

Shame really, but there are plenty more fish in the sea, I’m sure that you’ll meet the right person soon but I think we should just remain friends.

Lunch at the bar which I would strongly recommend versus the dining room. Excellent starter of sea bream carpaccio girole risotto and anchovies but was eclipsed by the partridges which were just amazing. Desert were good but should really have skipped them as I was too full to enjoy them.

Now I have history with fried. Show me a tapas bar, a fine dining restaurant or a street-side snack joint and I'll gravitate toward the section in batter.

BDL is a perfect case in point. A menu spanning the best parts of Italy available on a small plate. It could very well be the older, grown up brother that Polpo doesn't have or a distant cousin for similarly light and upmarket Barrafina.

Admittedly it's got a ‘build your own’ Frito Misto section and an obsession with the (literally) gutsier end of the pig, but in the main it's a well brought up, properly behaved small plate Italian. Friendly staff in black buzz along the thick, light marble bar into the serious restaurant at the rear. If you're only a two (or a very close three) then snare seats at the wide bar if you can. It's well designed for flowing access behind you and relatively calm, even opposite the frantic kitchen, and doesn't thankfully feel like either an afterthought or a corridor.

There's plenty on the keenly priced sharing menu to tempt the non meaty. I could happily graze from their side dishes, and a small plate of plump, fresh broad bean tortellini was well executed and possibly life extending if not eye opening. But in all honesty, if you're at BDL for a bite, chances are it's going to be porky.

Most of the dishes come with two sizes, and even the small plates are reasonably proportioned. We started with plump olives, as green as snooker baize and a brace of sourdough bruchetta, layered with some of the sweet and seasonal broad beans scattered across several other dishes on the menu, here combined with salty thin shards of pig's cheek and a deep umami laden jus. They paired perfectly with similarly seasonally apt courgette flowers, stuffed with mozzarella and lifted out of their slightly oily batter with the soft bite of anchovy.

If I were to throw a criticism, it'd be that oil. It slightly marred the courgette flowers and soaked deeply into the sheet holding the so-so Frito Misto too. Not a deal-breaker, but enough to make you regret another order of fried. You build your own frito from a small menu, baccalau was unctuous flaky battered pollack, whole squid gave great texture in the tentacles but over floured rings and bland aubergine, little more than an oil trap, let down the final dish.

Thankfully, and expectedly for a restaurant with its own ice-cream parlor over the road, they made up with the desserts. My guest took a trio of the homemade, fruit stuffed ice creams, here nestling in a toasted brioche roll, I went for Sanguinaccio, the devil's own nutella, a thick chocolate paste with pine nut and pig's blood from Abruzzo, the blood adding a dark note of sweet iron, lifting the dark cocoa to the heavens. I licked the bowl clean. I'm not a proud man…

I'll admit I'm a bit wary of Italian restaurants in London (being an avid home cook of Italian heritage, I'm known to be picky!), but based on the reviews and intriguing menu, I decided to try it. I won't say we were entirely disappointed, but I will say I have never felt more rushed in a restaurant. We had a reservation for two, with no time constraints, on a fairly busy but drizzly Thursday evening. There was no queue, and about half the tables were unoccupied. However, instead of the quiet, leisurely, relaxed post-workday meal I'd expected, we soon realised we were being squeezed through an efficient but impersonal factory of a restaurant.

The tables are a bit ‘elbow to elbow’, which I'm not normally a fan of, but overall the atmosphere was pleasant – not too loud, etc. We were greeted pleasantly enough at the door, where they offered to take our coats and bags. However, no sooner had we sat down (about 30 seconds after, no exaggeration,) they asked us if we were ready to order. Not drinks, not water, but order food. When we asked politely if we could have some wine and a few more minutes to even OPEN the menus, they quickly complied with the wine and then continued to ask for our order every two minutes. When I asked if we could order appetisers and have some time to look at the mains, they said no.

We eventually ordered – lamb prosciutto with asparagus and pecorino rosso, and marinated red peppers with anchovies to start. Both plates were nice enough – the anchovies and peppers lacked texture and were definitely from a jar, but were well seasoned. However, the minute I finished my appetiser, two waiters came over – one took my plate, and the other brought cutlery for the next course – before my partner had even finished eating.

We decided to stretch out the main as long as possible, which was brought (of course) piping hot, but within 2 minutes of our appetisers being cleared. Mine was nice enough – orrechiette with tomatoes and spicy sausage. However, my partner got the pork and fois gras sausage with farro and porcini, and it was very mediocre. Even though he got the large, the portion was tiny – there was no sauce on the plate, and the whole dish was a bit mushy and beige. I think they were trying to do an Italian take on sausage and mash and it just fell a bit flat.

For dessert, we opted for the blood orange granita, which was really lovely and fresh. The table was cleared and the check brought before we could even put our spoons down, of course. The prices were reasonable, and the staff was pleasant enough, it just felt like we couldn't relax the entire time – like the waitstaff was a well-oiled machine designed to crank us through as quickly as possible. The entire meal lasted about 1 hour and 15 minutes, which, for a three course dinner with wine, I find a bit brief.

Ultimately I don't think I'll return – the experience wasn't awful, but it wasn't anything special, either. Decent food in a hurried environment, definitely not the place to go for a date or relaxed meal! A pre-theatre meal might be better for this restaurant.

I loved my trip to Bocca di Lupo, the food was just as I had expected, perfect Italian cuisine. I enjoyed it so much that I even went to it's little ice cream place just opposite. It's called Gelupo and does amazing, fresh without any rubbish in it gelato. The quality was incredible and I found out about it on this dessert blog, check it out, it also good for other recommendations around the city.

www.ninaicecream.com

Fantastic evening. Really good meal. Very varied and unusual menu and great service and wine. One of the cest meals I have had in the last year.

As this is a much reviewed restaurant, will restrict myself to brief comments on a very recent and much looked forward-to lunch. Go on bright days – makes the most of the atmosphere. Don't expect attentive service or uncramped surroundings. This is one of those “bustling” restaurants. Loos smell a bit once the ice in the urinals melts. My shared pasta starter was certainly home made, well cooked and authentic – but it was a bit bland (pasta, potato slices and pesto) and boring. Also, pasta can be cooked TOO “al dente”. My companion, who had made the choice, loved it so “you pays your money…”. My main course was worth the effort of travelling in London in the middle of the to taste. I had pork and foie gras sausages (2) with pearl barley and mushroom cooked as though this was a risotto. I just wish there had been more of the pearl barley to set-off the richness of the sausages. This was a cracking (in the Wallace and Grommit sense) dish. Overall, enjoyed the experience and may return but can't quite understand all the hype or the Squaremeal Editor's star rating.

I was so excited to dine at Bocca di Luppo but I was greatly disappointed.
They offer post-theatre reservations and we arrived at 10:45PM. As soon as we arrived we were rushed to order as we were informed that the kitchen closed at 11:00. Three waiters chased us to decided what to have.
I ordered a good Sicilian wine but it only arrived after the food was served, despite my remarks to the waiters.
The food was mediocre: my fish was undercooked, my friend's pasta was extremely spicy and my other friend's risotto was a melt of cheese. When we complained about the food, we got no response from the Chef or staff.
Everybody in the restaurant was running around in order to leave and couldn't take care of patrons any longer.
It was like dining in a train station, with all the rush, but I actually think that a fish and chips or a spaghetti in a train station would be better than here.
I had to use the washroom and it was extremely dirty, which is unforgivable for a place like this.
Well, I had a few disappointments with restaurants before but this one is on my top list!
A place with such potential being wasted… At least if the Chef and/or owners took some feedback on board…

We visited Bocca di Lupo on a Saturday night in October.

Good points – quality of most of the food was excellent. We had mixed starters, the highlight being the crudita di mare – raw scallops, sea bream, prawns and langoustine, which were so fresh they just melted in your mouth. I also had the pork and fois gras sausage, which was bursting with flavour. Clean plates all round. The sommelier was also very helpful – we specified what we were eating and how much we wanted to spend, and he came up with a fantastic recommendation (which was not something we would usually have gone for).

Bad points – the service was a little brusque. We asked for help in selecting our food (not having an idea of the size of small/ large plates), but really didn't get much assistance, other than a “look at that table's food over there”. When booking, it was not mentioned that we would have to vacate the table within 2 hours – this was only confirmed the day before during a confirmation call. We had planned a celebratory meal with friends, but in the event, had finished coffee by the time we were asked to vacate the table.

All in all, I would recommend.

I am surprised upon reading many of the recent reviews because I visited this restaurant at the end of August and thought it was fabulous. I loved the eclectic menu of regional specialties from around Italy done with a contemporary/creative twist, like the bergamot & prosecco granita. I had the tagliata of grilled rib of beef with parmesan, rocket & rosemary as a main and the quality of the meat and cooking were superb. The service was way above what I have experience generally in London. We had a question about wine and the sommelier was present in a few second to recommend the best wine for the style and price. The waiting staff were warm, enthusiastic and very attentive – a rarity in London. The restaurant had a warm, buzzing ambient atmosphere. I dined as a group in the private room. All were very impressed by the excellent service, ambience and food. Maybe the problem with some reviews one this site is the expectations were too high to start and the comparisons with more highly priced Italian restaurants. This restaurant reminded me of the contemporary dining expereince in Sydney where you could have an expereince at a restaurant that focusses on the food and tastes, and enjoy a relaxing ambience with friends. I thought it was very good value for money and will be going back again and again…

Visited Bocca Di Luppo last week for lunch and to be honest I cant see what the hype is about this place. Pitched as more rustic Italian street food joint, this restaurant is vastly inferior to some of the Italian Eateries Soho has to offer and believe me there's a lot. In terms of service, our front of house was fine but our waiter smouldered off attitude. The food was very disappointing. My starter of Bone Marrow Risotto tasted more like a bottle of Chianti had been poured into flavour it. The main of pheasant was dry, stringy, over cooked and flavourless. My dinner dates seafood pasta was distinctly average . Nothing on this vist had made any kind of impression on me pulling me back for a return visit…

Bocca di lupo literally means wolf's mouth…if you are wishing somebody good luck you will say “In bocca al Lupo”…The food is nothing really special and i don't understand all these rumors about this restaurant. i have been there three times and i wasn't so impressed. It is not real italian food, neither fusion or contemporary…

It's fine but for the price and attitude there's a lot of other places I'd go. I have to say, I was shocked at how terrible the side of vegetables were. Completely flavorless. I will not go back.

Its got a great feel, light, contemporary, stylish, a bar that seats I am guessing up to 12 people, opening out at the end of the room into a very well put together dining room. The kind of place that makes you feel good the moment you set foot inside.
The service was attentive right from the moment I was seated at the table, menus's and water arrived quickly. Much has been made of the fact that they offer many of their main courses in a small portion, I have to say it didn't seem to me that there were more on offer here than at most good Italian restaurants, I am thinking particularly of Cucconi's.
The menu itself offers up rustic regional Italian dishes, and for me at least, not that much choice. Definately one of those places where you should look on the web site before you book a big celebratory bash. I had a fabulous rabbit and pigeon ragut, packed with flavour. An Italian wine list tends to major on the reds but it's well balanced and stocked by some good producers.
I was in for just over an hour and wasn't made to feel rushed on a busy week day lunchtime, which speaks volumes about the service.
Good for those who are prepared to go off piste with their Italian bad for those who want a carbonara.

First impressions of the restaurant (lovely decor, buzzy atmosphere) were great and service was very good (other than one overfamiliar American waitress) but we were really disappointed with the food and overall experience. We shared a range of starters which were all average and in a couple of cases on the border of being unpleasant (eg fried artichoke and grilled squid both had the taste of burnt butter, and the squid was undercooked in parts). Mains were an improvement (eg squid ink risotto was rich and the tagliatelle sound) but lacked any wow. We felt that most of the dishes were overpriced given the quality of the ingredients and cooking. Care was lacking as well – my partner found a small stone in his tagliatelle sauce and my dinner plate had not been wiped properly and had smudges that made it look like it was ridged. Yuck. Dessert was no better – a sandwich of icecream came in a toasted (again slightly burnt) brioche bun. It was like an increcream burger and did not work (although the icecream was very nice). My partner was also cross when he saw a little cake and candle being given to another table but not to ours, even though he had specifically asked for them to do something as it was my birthday. Given all the good reviews, I wondered if it was just us, but the table next to us also complained about their food being undercooked. When we're next looking for a nice Italian meal, we'll be going back to L'Anima which in comparison has superb decor, attentive but not overbearing service and divine food (including the best olives of anywhere I've been in London – BDL had similar ones, but they were smaller and spoiled by being served in the same dish as some more bitter olives that completely changed and ruined the taste).

We had heard much about this restaurant and had been trying to get in for months. We had almost given up but decided to accept the Monday night we were offered after our umpteenth phone call. It was packed. Gripe: we were offered a table for 7.45pm but told that we would have to give it back after two hours. OK…(not really…) but then don't keep us standing by the door for nearly ten minutes, and then ignore us for another ten minutes when we sit down. Hmmm. BUT…we forgave everything because the food was fantastic. Really fantastic. Extraordinary salad of celeriac, radish, pomegranate and truffle oil. Carpaccio of lamb with peppery pecorino. Tagliatelle with pigeon and pork ragu. Haven't had anything like any of these dishes anywhere in London, all were outstanding. Bitter almond granita with chocolate sorbet – divine. The room was buzzing, delighted munching everywhere. It's a small room and they have squeezed as many tables as could possibly be considered polite into the space. Great eavesdropping. Best of all – the idea of having every dish as a small or large plate – genius. So you can have three or four small plates…or a large one to share…brilliant. And a very very reasonable bill. And a superb Italian wine list. But the manager looked utterly harrassed. The staff were good, there just weren't enough of them. The manager, on finally bringing the bill (after quite a lot of waiting…) did ask if everything had been OK which impressed me, because he did actually listen to what we said. Bocca di Lupo is an excellent restaurant serving outstanding food but it needs to be very careful indeed not to overstretch itself. More staff and less packing in the punters would make this dining experience one worth fighting to get into. Londoners are fickle, I hope they are able to get it right because it's worth it.

I was very excited to able to book a table for my family and friends at Bocco Di Lupo, as I had read great reviews in the newspapers. I was not at all disappointed with my experience. It was an unexpected treat finding such an authentic Italian restaurant in London. As the restaurant followed a traditional style of Italian menu, that is, offering many courses of varying sized plates, my friendsand I were able to choose from a range of unusual and tasty dishes. For example: Courgette flower with anchovies, mozzarella & basil, Grilled squid with gremolata and Yoghurt gelato, coconut sorbet & sour cherry granita. As a person who enjoys cooking and experimenting at home I was delighted to learn more about rustic regional Italian cooking. The restaurant was busy with patrons, but the waiting staff ensured our table of eight people was well looked after. The front of house staff gave the table detailed information on the dishes we were considering and helped us to choose the wine that best accompanied that dish. When the bill arrived my friends were surprised at how reasonable the price was, considering how much we had eaten. Overall, the evening meal at Bocco Di Lupo was a real treat and I look forward to returning.

Had heard good feedback from some early adopter friends who spent evenings here shortly after opening, and so booked a table for a dinner of 7 on a Thursday night well in advance to see if it delivered against the hype. Was slightly nervous on the day to read the mixed reviews on the site. I'm happy to to say my concern was unfounded. The food was fabulous – interesting menu, good range of choice, generous portions, and fantastically delicious to boot. The service was exactly as it should be – there as soon as you need it, helpful when help is needed, and invisibly efficient otherwise. The room had exactly the right atmosphere for this type of restaurant – buzzy verging on noisy. I'm looking forward to taking friends back for a repeat performance soon.

I was recommended this place due to ability to have small portions and the delicious desserts. One of the above was true.

I didnt think much about Bocca – there wasnt a huge choice on the menu – or perhaps i wasnt feeling too adventurous and the menu certainly isnt the usual Italian norm. Bread was excellent but I ended up having the pre theatre meal, which was the biggest plate id ever seen of chicken liver and pappadelle. When i say big, i mean big and heavy and i couldnt finish my meal (me being someone who ALWAYS finishes my meal too!) It was also too heavy and too al dente for my liking and i really wished i actually specified a small plate and didnt take the cheaper pre theatre menu choice! My partner had spaghetti with shellfish and really loved his meal so perhaps it was just me.

Service was excellent – the trendy spectacle wearing waiter struck that right balance of being helpful and friendly without being annoying, And the pudding was lovely – i recommend the brioche with the three scoops of mouthwatering nutty ice cream, fabulous! Drinks were also nice – the bill ended up close to £50 for two mains and puddings so relatively pricey for what we had. I couldnt help thinking there are better choices of pre theatre meals in the area like Arbutus etc.

All in all, I felt I would go back but only for the pudding – so perhaps suited for a catch up at the bar rather than a full on meal.

I think this is a real find too – down a typical Soho street and opposite some rather dodgy bar adds to the character of this place. Unpretensious and not over expensive. Or to put it another way ‘under stated style & charm’. Italian food for sharing with grazing size portions. Food and ingredients from around Italy, most combinations work but some do not, but that is the fun of ordering multiple dishes to share. I'm not a fan of their puddings. Good for a quick, casual lunch at the bar to catch up with a lost friend or a more relaxed session at the back.

I was very excited about visiting Bocca di Lupo but left the evening feeling very let down. The atmosphere is quite sterile, a long New York style bar with a small eating area at the back. My friend and I were sitting at the bar where we could see the chefs at work and our initial excitement fell flat with the chefs acting like robots and also you were left realising how processed and pre-prepared the food was. The individual ingredients were delicious but there was no wow factor. I had the Buffalo Mozzerella to start with and this arrived with a pile of rocket and drizzled with olive oil – it was ok but there was something lacking. The main course of fish stew was good but the portion size was very small and my side order of Sardenian Tomatoes with Oregano and Olive Oil which from the description I thought would be hot was simply a chopped tomato salad – perhaps the waiter should have pointed this out. The wine list is reasonably priced but a bill of £150 for 2 people (and we had the cheaper wine) was excessive for what we ate.

After several attempts to secure a reservation at much lauded Bocca, I finally managed to get one – what a huge disappointment. Cursory service in a virtually empty late lunchtime room. Over rated and very over priced

Oh dear, I should really have written this review the day after visiting Bocca di Lupo while my mind was still singing the praises of the detail of the dishes. However, my head was a little fuzzy from overdipping into the wine list. Let me explain, as well as my memory serves me…

We were so happy to have a table for a Saturday night at 8pm in the restaurant: result!! (Booked yonks ago.) We weren't disappointed at all, all night – hence great rating scores all round, and we are both quite hard to please.
The place was jumping, really buzzing in a happy, having-a-really-good-time sort of way.

The staff were fantastic: friendly, welcoming, informative & full of helpful advice on how/how much to order. Much has been made of the 'is-it-isn't-it-authentic-Italian-regional-cooking' debate. Give the guys some slack on poetic licence, please! The root and spirit of the dishes sit clearly in Italian tradition (Come on!! Fritto misto and spagettini with clams, to name but two dishes we had), but it isn't the food most mommas would cook at home.

The style ran the gamut from simple to rustic to elegant-dainty, but the freshness of the food, the sure cooking and the distinct flavours of the dishes shone through everything.

The ordering system is basically starters large or small on LHS page of menu, mains small or large on RHS page of menu (Use common sense: a ‘small’ starter or a ‘large’ main means ‘normal size’ portion. Or such is the plan.). So, I ordered fritto misto as a large starter portion as I LOVE the thin-batter-coating seafood thing (yes, lobster tempura at Zuma is possibly my favourite dish in the world. Nobu's shrimp tempura second). Sticking to the fishy theme, I ordered a small main of swordfish with capers and ricotta salad, and a second small main of red mullet. My man had a small starter of rabbit tonnato, followed by a large spagettini with clams as a main course.

In between serving and chatting so nicely to customers, the waiting staff were zooming around at the whizziest pace. The timing of food orders arriving was the tiniest tad slow, but we were having such a pleasant time nibbling and dipping the rustic, chewy bread in olive oil and sipping our champagne, then the delicious Vermentino 2007 (£27) recommended by the wine guy, that we didn't really notice.

The rabbit tonnato was extraordinary: a dainty dish of shredded pieces of good rabbity-flavoured rabbit (ie not chicken-substitute, as rabbit can often taste like) coated in a delicate but well-flavoured tuna sauce, the slightly muddy look lifted by a stylish scattering of some of Mr MacGregor's vegetable patch: shaved radishes and pea-shoots. Delicious! The deep-fried seafood was just fabulous too: squid, prawns, scallops and some fish – don't ask, just can't recall, because…

The bottle of wine was empty by the end of the starters. So nice, and so reasonable…let's have another! was the obvious answer, and is the unfortunate reason for my poor recall of specific ingredients. But I promise that my judgement of the quality of the food was unimpaired: scout's honour.

The small main courses of swordfish and red mullet (£7 each) were surprisingly generous (the mullet on the bone with beady eye) and my man had to help me out when he'd scoffed his spagettini.

With no space ourselves for dessert, I eyed up and eavesdropped on the adjoining table where a couple had ordered the cannoli with ricotta & chocolate filling. It was clearly not to their liking – after a small taste and some suspicious sniffing and prodding , the waiter was summoned to explain where the chocolate was. “Folded into the ricotta filling”. At a sideways glance, it did not look very chocolatey but I wasn't bold enough to ask for a taste (or indeed to snaffle a surreptitious corner of the substantial leftovers abandoned at the table when they left).

We didn't really want to leave: the atmosphere and glamour were continuing to build as the evening progressed. The volume was getting louder; dresses were getting shorter and sparklier and a rather restless queue for booked tables was forming. It seemed like a good idea to have a last drink at the bar before the taxi home, and the rest is hazy.

I vowed the next day never to drink so much again, but I also swore to go back to Bocca di Lupo whenever its popularity allows me a table when I would like one. Next time, I would like to remember the excellent food with clarity, and to focus more on soaking up the surroundings.

I had a late lunch here yesterday. Despite being in a rather seedy side street in Soho, the restaurant itself is very smart and and very classy.

First impressions weren't good – the front of house was rather matter of fact and no-one offered to take our coats.

Service was average to poor – very friendly staff and service was quick at first, but 15 minutes after ordering a glass of wine, I had to ask where it was and then it took another 5 minutes to arrive. One of the main courses that turned up wasn't what we ordered, and the same happened for dessert, although to be fair they didn't charge us for the mistake on the dessert.

Starters, sides and dessert were all delicious but I had the pork and foie gras sausage, which was a bit liquidy in the middle, which made me wonder whether it had been cooked all the way through. I'm all for not killing lamb or beef, but when it comes to pork, you can't be too careful.

Prices are high and it's not great value for money, so despite the smart atmosphere I wouldn't come here again.

This is a real find
The restaurant is compact with feeling hemmed in the deco is classically italian and has been created with great plomb The service was excellent with inteligent and helpful staff
The place specialises in regional cuisine. We had the Cuttlefish Risotto and the Lamb Prossciutto
both were a joy to eat

‘Pate de foie gras to the sound of trumpets’?
Frankly I'd rather eat at Bocca di Lupo, the faultless new Italian in Soho.

The surroundings are not just glamorous, but grown-up. Stunning huge oil paintings adorn the walls. It's friendly and modern, with none of the old fashioned yards of starched white linen and attitudes to match.

You are transported to another and a better world. Flavours are combined with a breathtaking confidence and subtlety.

We loved a simple radish and celeriac salad with truffle oil, and a dish of fried artichokes with sweetbreads. Next came a tender poussin with a side of roast potatoes with chestnuts,
and a ravishing spaghetti with lobster and a hint of ginger. A nice bottle of Prosecco conjured up the Italian sunshine. Sadly too full for pudding, we vowed to return.

Their tapas system lets you plan a meal to suit your budget. Their lunch and pre-theatre deals look exceptional value. This place is heavenly.

Inspite of the hundreds (or thousands) restaurants in London that call themselves Italian, there are only a few dozens that serve authentic italian food. Sadly Bocca di Lupo is not one of them. No disrespect for what they do: nice room, decent service, technically competent cooking but what is put in front of you is not what you find in Italy. The food lacks that competent, commanding final touch that only a “local” (in this case Italian) chef has, borne out of growing-up, eating what his/her mum prepared and working in Italy. Ingredients such as celeriac, foie gras, pomegranate, ginger etc, profusely used at Bocca, are unknown in Italy – and every town, never mind every region, has its own style of cooking that is applied only to seasonal and local ingredients. Bocca di Lupo has tried to please british food critics and writers to garner publicity and good reviews. However, the same critics, for some unknown reason, cannot understand the complexities of our regional cuisines and complain (when in Italy or in italian restaurants here) that there is little choice on menus. Even today every Italian village, town and province protects fiercely methods and recipes handed down from time immemorable and stubbornily refuse to use ingredients not called for. You will never see an intermarriage of recipes in any menu – what is good for the Romans is poison for the Milanesi! So, in bocca al lupo ( it means ‘may the wolf take care of you’)) to Bocca di Lupo – you'll need a lot of luck. Diners looking for authenticity can still find real Italian places in London. Finally: the prices. Value for money is totally absent here.
Federica Spadafora