Polpo

I try to see good in every situation: so here's the good bit. I went to Polpo very recently and ate at the bar as it was lunchtime and I was alone. The lady who answers the telephone and seats diners was helpful, friendly, bubbly and cute. The atmosphere was humming and, as I had blundered in not really having looked at the name, I was heartened and expected to exit a satisfied customer. The food was undoubtedly cheap – but though it tasted good there was almost none of it to taste. The apple and prosciuto with tallegio was exactly that – but one tiny slivver of apple, one tiny piece of cheese and possible less than one slice of prosciutto to wrap them in. An “amuse guelle” not a starter. The soft sausage on cabbage was fine, though mean. Tasty and rustic. Now the bad: I asked for a glass of still water, and found myself confronted by a large bottle – I think I should have been told first. The servers behind the bar gave absolutely no impression of wanting to do more than transact, no looking directly at the customers, no engagement. The food was more or less litterally plonked on the bar by someone who walked by without stopping or looking or smiling. At least it arrived quickly. Lastly, I would have had a coffee, but saw the barrista preparing coffees for tables, sticking his fingers inside the little glasses they use – and they (fingers) looked like they needed a good wash. I was too embarrased to dock the 12.5% “discretionary” service charge. Is it me ?

There’s a fun little place in Soho that fuses European bacaro and tapas influences to create exciting small plates of Venetian history. Polpo takes its inspiration from the osterie and dintorni of Venice and there’s a warm ambience when I arrive for lunch.

The restaurant has a small and unassuming entrance which leads deep inside to reveal the serving counter at the rear where there are shelves holding oils, wines and jars of olives and crunchy biscotti. The dining room stretches back like a bowling alley and at the front there’s a small bar you can sit at which curls away from the redbrick wall and looks perfect for luncheons, sipping espressos and picking cold meats.

The first thing I noticed upon entering is that Polpo smells of toast. Not burnt toast but nose-tingling doughy bread from the ovens. We sit down at our table to find the menu is our tablemat, this could be messy I thought. And was.

All the dishes are ingredient led and this plays a vital part, as the majority of the portions are small, therefore easier to pick through and highlight faults. Rather than tackle a main course and feel yourself being sick in the mouth with greed or having chosen a wrong dish, here you can indulge yourself with four, six, eight small dishes and sample a wider variety, dipping in-and-out at your convenience. Most dishes are under a fiver, which means you can stuff your face for around a tenner.

Asparagus, taleggio and prosciutto were a tasty beginning with fine slithers of soft cured-ham and tall, fresh asparagus, and at £2.00 was a steal. A crunchy crostino with zingy walnut pesto and rocket hit the mark and was only £1.00 – seriously good pricing. Two small dishes in a Soho restaurant for £3.00 is just absurd. This is freshly prepared sunny European grub in Soho, and cheaper then a Happy Meal. The chopped chicken liver crostino was rather general but cost a nominal, £1.50.

We ordered a good refreshing broad bean, ricotta and mint bruschetta for £4.50 and a tasty calf’s liver with onions and sage for £6.00. Some more asparagus, this time served with an anchovy butter and mature Parmesan, was £5.50. Cuttlefish in a moody black ink risotto stained the tongue, and was a little too runny and muddy, but held some beefy cuttlefish to pick out, and for £6.50 was well priced and far off brummagem.

A hot and creamy chocolate pot was served with doughy, spiral esse (Italian biscuits) for only £3.50 and was small but perfectly formed, and the warm, runny chocolate down the throat was oh! so dreamy.

It’s a clever way of fusing Spanish tapas influence with authentic Venetian dishes and projects a rather sophisticated dining experience, perhaps the best introduction you can have to this rustic trattoria-style in London. The emphasis is on style and the customer rather than on haute cuisine and rinsing Londoner’s of cash, and this can only be a good thing. Situated in the heart of Soho its always going to attract an eclectic mix of gobblers, from the media-based workers to the evening couples, weekend tourists and those lucky Soho inhabitants who’ll find it a great neighbourhood restaurant.

Had dinner here on a Saturday evening. No bookings taken so the expected wait of 30-40 minutes was not a surprise but it wasn't a problem, we had a drink at the bar. It's small but not uncomfortable. The maitre d' was a perfect combination of being in command of a packed bar and restaurant while still being warm and friendly – very impressive in such a busy venue on a Saturday night.

The food is imaginative and well-cooked but was served way too cold – I understand the chichetti concept but the style of dishes on the menu deserve to be served at a decent temperature to allow one to enjoy them to their fullest. Having a decent wine list and then forcing customers to drink out of tumblers is not cute or trendy, just ill-judged. Yes, by all means serve basic vino this way but if one is paying decent money for a bottle (and there are bottles up to 70 quid each) then I'd like to enjoy it in a decent glass please.

The music is rock and it is loud. My companion and I noticed that we were a lot older than most diners (we're late 40's, most others were in their 30's) so we had a wry smile about it but it's a shame that the management can't see that a little less volume would not harm its ambition to be edgy, urban and cool whilst making the experience much more pleasant.

The staff were, without exception, brilliant. Charming, efficient, friendly and professional. I'd go back if in Soho but wouldn't necessarily make a special trip to Polpo. Maybe I'm just too old!!!

excellent

Having heard so much about Polpo, we were really pleased to get a table. Early evening and the place was buzzing – it looked like it would be great fun. Oh dear here is another example of a restaurant that is now too popular and struggling to keep up with its reputation. The service was poor – too few staff, not enough room for them to move and their stress was obvious in their faces and behaviour. The food was really average – nothing wrong but not memorable. The noise levels meant it was impossible to hear the person opposite me! Tables too small and the plates too big! Maybe lunchtime would be better…

Hearing all the buzz and hype about this restaurant made a couple of friends and myself a little more than desperate to have a taste for ourselves. So there we found ourselves, on a Friday night in the capital of impossible to get reservations without a reservation. It seemed like the perfect time to sample Polpo with its no reservations policy.

We hot footed it over to Beak St and walked through the welcoming doors. The wait, we were told, could be up to 40 mins, but since we were in no rush and needed an excuse to prolong our catch up we were more than happy to wait at the,(albeit crowded) bar. The bar space is small and busy but if you expect this then you won’t mind the odd treading of feet on your own toes! Prosecco (on tap) is served in small tumblers which is authentic but don’t expect to feel chic drinking out of one! Immediately you feel a since of friendliness with fellow diners. We shared pre dining banter (which resulted in pre dining drinks and nibbles) with 3 friendly city types. Had it have not been more difficult to get a table to seat all 7 of us we would have joined each other for dinner, but tables are small at Polpo and it was much easier to seat in our small groups.

Dishes are designed small (including cicheti), for the table to order lots and share between yourselves. We were so excited by the variety on offer that we ordered far too much, in the end having to balance water bottles, wine, plates of small Venetian delights and the rest on the small table. It would have been nice for the waitress to inform us that dishes would be brought out at the same time when ready so that we could have staggered our ordering. This was my major fault with Polpo.

From our choices the ones which stood out were the White anchovy, tapenade and egg cicheti, the broad bean, ricotta and mint bruschetta and the calfs liver, onions and sage (delicious!) but all were delicious. Just beware of ordering too many dishes!

Overall Polpo is a good choice for a buzzy casual meal with friends. Not one for a romantic date as it’s far too noisy and I don’t think your date would appreciate waiting at the bar for a seat before. If you appreciate good food then I would recommend going to Polpo.

Polpo is one of my favourite restaurants in London (heck, probably the in all of the UK!) The staff are so welcoming and it isn't flashy, gaudy or pretentious. The food is incredible and so much to choose from – this isn't just a rehash of every other tapas bar. I love that the staff leave you alone – they aren't quietly ushering you out of the restaurant – I think a lot of that is helped by the fact they don't take bookings on an evening. Although there is (pretty much always) a big queue, it's so delightful just to have a glass of prosecco at the bar with your partner – candles everywhere, good coffee, decently priced wine – heaven!

Polpo is a Venetian ‘bacaro’ with a New York vibe on the former Soho premises of Aperitivo, from ex-Caprice Holdings director Russell Norman. Polpo has a no reservation policy for dinner, so expect to queue, as this place is currently very popular, and deservedly so.

I never understood what all the fuss over Polpo was about. Bloggers and writers everywhere paying homage to a simple little Venetian Baccaro-style joint in Soho, elevating it's status to a greatly undeserved cult-like entity. Packed beyond all human reason, despite having a booking, we were kept waiting a good 25 minutes past our reservation time. Food is nothing special, lots of haphazardly prepared dishes, slapped onto lscruffy little white plates. No exciting flavours, nothing out of the ordinary in fact and essentially overpriced for what you are being given. Carluccios, whilst not a Baccaro by any means, seem to offer better ‘Polpette’ meatballs and ‘Arancini’ then Polpo does and value is marginally better too. Tables are rickety and cramped, as you sit virtually shoulder to shoulder with other patrons, allowing you little room to breath. So I genuinely find it hard to understand how Polpo has been such a hit since day one. It just goes to show that we Londoners will always be influenced by what we read and won't let the small matter of ‘experience’ influence our decisions. Either way, personally, it is an experience I can largely live without having to repeat.

POLPO – In short a terrible Saturday night experience.
We are told at 8.30pm that the wait is 2 hours so decide to come back after an 1 1/2 hour to discover we have been taken out of the list.

We decide to wait for other 45 mins (the estimated time for a seat)…While we are having wine at the bar we see various people behind the cue being allocated seats – we therefore wonder politely to the waiter to enquire on the state of art and are just told the wait will be longer (no particular reason behind it, and no chance to discuss on the merits of the unfair allocation). Despite being very hungry we wait and comment in Italian that we have been unlucky ("Siamo stati sfortunati").
Shortly after the same waiter, claiming to be the owner (who as far as we know is Italian so should have understood what we said) comes up to us and asks us leave as we used abusive language telling us not to “worry about the wine”
Despite being puzzled and somehow shocked about this situation (no one ever asked me to leave a restaurant in my life!) we do not have a free ride, pay for the drinks (leaving more than half of the bottle at the bar) and leave, to say the least disappointed

I now wonder – was it worth waiting 3 hours on a Saturday night ? The food after all looked fairly average
Perhaps a crash course in Italian and on e in good manner should be advised to the staff so that these type of embarrasing situations do not arise in the nearby future.

Rustic setting, electrically live atmosphere and comforting yet creative dishes, Polpo certainly ticks some interesting boxes when it comes to London dining. The ambiance is frenetic (if you can get through the door that is), with a bulging crowd at the bar almost reminiscent of your morning tube commute. If you are lucky enough to be seated or get near to the bar, there's plenty of choice and even the most discerning oenophile will be pleased (the gavi di gavi was particularly good) despite the unusual mini decanter and small glass duo the wine comes in.

As a typical cicchetti bar, seating at the restaurant is first come first serve and no bookings can be made, this did mean a 1.5 hour wait at the bar. For my group this was not a problem as we were busy catching up with each other but if patience is a virtue you missed out on, perhaps miss the weekend rush and go on a Monday night.

Once we were seated, it was a simple case of getting comfy on the very wooden furniture and using the ample candlelight to decide upon the many delicious sounding dishes. The waitress did a good job of helping with how many dishes we should aim for. Though, we overshot by two dishes we still cleaned all the plates up, with only a few grains of creamy ham risotto rice and succulent fritto misto remaining on the many plates. There's a good range for vegetarians too, with dishes such as Potato & Parmesan crocchetta and tomato & tapenade pizzetta amongst others and some filling and warming sides to accompany. With all of this you'd think there was no room for dessert but as the dishes were of Goldilocks portions (just perfect!), I opted for the orange and almond cake which was both scrumptious and compatible with my friend's rich and creamy chocolate pot.

All in all, an eye opening experience to the world of chicetti and an interesting contrast to the neighbouring Mayfair haunt Cecconi's, which also serves the same concept. Notes for readers: the only gripe is the wait, but once you're over that, its an uphill experience.

This used to be my favourite hidey hole in its previous guise as Aperitivo, so naturally I was looking forward to its successor, that promised to deliver a similar experience.

I have to say that the food was delicious and our particular waiter phenomenal, especially as the other waiters/ bar staff couldn't seem to organise the proverbial in a brewery. We arrived for an early dinner at 1830 and it was already chocker, which is always a good sign and managed to grab the last table. Unfortunately at 1900, the music was switched on and turned to such an incredible level that all patrons then began to shout, at each other, to compete with it.

We asked if it could be turned down a bit, only to warrant a visit from the owner, he then proceeded to be unbelievably conceited and rude. He addressed only my companion (who admittedly is in her mid 50s, but I was the one that requested the volume change), explaining to her that the place was supposed to be “urban”, “punchy” and “edgy” with a target demographic of 25 – 35 (verbatim). Sadly for him his media clever jargon, washed straight over us as we are both in advertising and wanted to slap him. I sit bang in the middle of that demo, so when I pointed that out, he kind of dismissed it and basically told me, if I don't like it, don't come back. Don't worry, I won't.

It's a real shame as the food was great and I could easily have become a twice a month customer, instead the 43 year old owner, would rather have first time cash than happy regulars.

How can anywhere that has a dish on its menu at £1.10 be bad? I mean, for the same price as a packet of reconstituted, deep fried, hydrogenated pork rind in your local Slug's Head & Vomit, you get anchovies with chick peas in a terrific restaurant in Soho. Well, an anchovy anyway.

The place itself looks a bit distressed; not in a mental anguish way, just in a “you know that a really trendy designer has spent an awful lot of money to make it look as though nobody bothered to spend any money on it” kind of way. And it works supremely well. The tables are small and close together, but, with the old school chairs, mismatched cutlery and glass tumblers for the wine, the whole works together well, when any on their own would just be naff.

As well as the £1.10 anchovy, the pizetta bianca (sort of thin crust pizza-with-white-cheese bits) was excellent, and I was given a second (unbidden for and gratis) helping when they saw that my companion was late and I was saving a piece for her. Polpette (meatballs to you and me) was also good and the fritto misto not at all greasy.

The wine list is not too long, and has about half of the bottles available by 250ml and 500ml sizes, all of which are well priced, with only a few breaking into the £30+ range. In addition, the prosecco is available by the glass as well, and well worth it as a £5.00 alternative to the over-inflated champagne in most other restaurants.

The service is unhurried and friendly (I think we were served by the owner). The dishes are served as prepared, rather than in a set starter, main course way, and are perfect for sharing. Even though we ordered a fair number of plates, the bill was far less than you often get with this style of food, where the danger of over-ordering many small dishes is great (think sushi or tapas).

This is not a destination restaurant, in the same way that Bocca de Lupo has become, and I am sure that people will compare the two, but, other than that they both serve excellent Italian food, they are poles apart. If you care about appearances, have a large expense account or work in media, go to the Wolf. If you like a smaller, fun place where you don't have to take a second mortgage out, come here.

You can book ahead at Polpo but only during lunch.

We went there for a booze free quick lunch and I was very impressed – naturally it was packed what with the overwhelming media attention it's had recently, I wasn't suprised.

The food was better than I expected, delicious mushroom bread, outstanding meatballs and a slow roasted duck dish with rosemary roasted potatoes were all of excellent quality and cooked with real attention.

The tables are VERY close together though so it has a canteen vibe – not a romantic spot by any stretch. The service was quick and polite and I like the idea of the dishes coming when they're ready. Just as well as there's no way you'd get them all on the table in one go!

We also enjoyed some of the tiny tasters, the arancini and the anchovy paste on toast. I know everyone's been raving but when the bill came it was easy to see why. It was the same price as the Pizza Express meal I'd had the night before. When fresh, exciting flavours in generous portions like this come so cheap the only excuse not to eat there more often is the queue! I can understand why this place is proving so popular.

My only gripe is those bloody ‘rustic’ glasses! If I was drinking wine I might not have been so positive! I understand their purpose is to be as faithful as possible to the mediterranean roots of these restaurants but I hate drinking good white wine out of rough Ikea tumblers.

An outstanding culinary experience. Went last Tuesday around 6.30pm, seats within 15 mins, beautiful wine, exceptional food, helpful staff and a real authentic feel. The flank steak and cuttlefish especially recommended! Left 9.30ish… by which time there was a queue along the back wall 10 deep. The best tapas I’ve had in London by a country mile!

Found this fabulous restaurant on Beak street, Soho. Great atmosphere, great food and lovely staff. I particularly enjoyed the Cuttlefish. Quite simply it is a must visit restaurant, definitely one to add to the ‘list’!

This place looks like it has been there for a hundred years and no-one has bothered to give it a coat of paint. The menu is your place mat and is printed on cheap Italian butcher's paper. The wine glasses are tumblers used by European peasants.
The cutlery is all tarnished and worn and old.
The walls are brickwork and crumbling.
The ceiling is tin.
The lightbulbs are old carbon jobs.
The sinks in the bathrooms have cracks in them.
The taps are a bit leaky.
The music is loud.
The lights are too low.
Tables are closely packed.
The place is always packed.
The food is just Italian bar food but I guess it tastes good and isn't expensive.
The wine list is too short and there are not enough fancy wines. The waiters and bartenders are too chummy and friendly.
They don't wear a nice uniform.
Did I mention they don't have proper wine glasses with proper stems?
You have to wait for a table because they don't take bookings, the schmucks.
It's in Soho.
The parking is TERRIBLE.
I love it.
I'm never going back.

Well, Russel Miller is not a fool and has taken great care to base his “Polpo” on a real venetian Bacaro.
For those who do not know what this involves, a Bacaro is a sort of wine bar that also serves a very limited amount of food – but Polpo has many, all excellent, menu choices that would sell well in Venice itself. Modest pricing is also very welcome: it means Polpo will have a long life.
Federico Spadafora from Venessia (that's how we spell and pronounce Venice)!

For me the menu was limited. Not sure whether it changes.

The potato and parmesan croquettes were tasteless and very small. The Pizzetta Biance was simple but very tasty and the star of the show for me. We also had the calves liver which was good enough but not outstanding. The roast potatoes which were very crunch and really tasty but arrived at the table on their own. The Fennell, “bobby bean” and cob nut salad was disappointing – the “bobby beans” were simply green beans and there were very few of them.

The place was very busy and had a good atmosphere and the staff were very pleasant and knowledgeable about the menu. The tapas style of service bringing dishes out when they were ready didn't work for me as the dishes didn't stand on their own and despite being the only diners when we arrived we still waited a long time for food to start arriving.

I would try it again as it is right next to my office but it worked out more expensive than we would normally pay for a lunch and didn't feel that it was particularly good value for money.

I have now been to Polpo twice – once for lunch and once for dinner. Situated just off Regent Street on Beak Street, Polpo boasts fantastic Italian tapas (chichetti) and an awesome decor to match. A number of well known critics have described it as walking in to a New York downtown restaurant and they are spot on. You cross the threshold and are immeadiately transported in to the meatpacking district with the bare brick walls and copper ceiling.

Stepping in to Polpo, you are greeted by a fantastic buzz coming from the main dining room and the few diners that have congregated at the bar to sip the great value cocktails and have some chichetti. Both at both lunch and dinner there was a mixed crowd, the sort of media type you expect in Soho but a few suits scattered around the room (myself included) and a few tables that hosted older generations, the sort you would expect to be dining the other side of Regent Street in Mayfair at the likes of Cecconi's or Harry's Bar and this is what bodes so well for Polpo.

For lunch, it is possible to book, which means if you only have an hour or so lunch break from work it works well. However, it is not possible to book, but in a way this means it somewhat easier to get a table but still expect a small wait.

Nevertheless, it is well worth the wait ! Russell Norman has clearly taken all his experience and skill from working in some of the best restaurants in the capital to set up this ‘bacaro’ that has very much filled a gap in the market.

The menu is easy to naviagate and enjoyable. To me, being able to pick half a dozen plates to share with your fellow diner is such a glorious way to eat. A few favourites are the arancini (mozarella and risotto fried balls), the anchovies and chick pea bruschetta and the parma ham with warm roasted pumpkin. But thinking about it, I could add a number of other dishes to my favourites such as the Polpette (veal meatballs with tomato sauce), the slow cooked pork and the squid…Plates vary from around £1.50 to £6.

It is a joy to eat at Polpo and the thing I love is the fact you can go in and have a carafe of wine and few plates and leave with a bill you would expect at Pizzaa Express, or spend more and still leave happy !

I will be returning very soon indeed !

I have mixed views about my experience at Polpo but on balance I have to say that I will not go back. The food was delicious, my real problem is an attitudinal one and their approach to wine. Having ordered a fairly pricey bottle £40, I asked for proper wine glasses rather than drink it out of heavy glass tumblers. I was offered the equivalent of a glass tumbler on a stem – basically no better than the original glass – which I declined. I was then told that they couldnt see what the problem was – all the wine suppliers were very happy with the glass and that that these glasses went with the look of the place and would be found in a traditional venetian restaurant. As it happens I dont care what the suppliers think, I am a customer who does not like to be treated with disdain. One with a passion for wine as well as good food, who happens to be a Master of Wine. It makes me sad that despite the attention to detail for the food, and the design, wine remains an afterthought for many restaurants. And it is not difficult to get it right. The tumbler is the equivalent of serving quality food on a bendy paper plate. My experience of even modest restaurants throughout Italy is that they often have a plethora of glassware for different types of wine. I am not suggesting that this new restaurant should have a bank of such glasses but having a good basic wine glass is a must just as listening to your customers and treating them with respect is good basic business sense.

We squeezed in here last night, without a booking. Staff very friendly but still finding their feet – drinks took a while to arrive and one side dish never appeared (though we didn't hassle them for it).

Reasonable value for the area – we paid just over £100 for two including service (built in to the bill). We had four smaller dishes, five larger ones, two deserts, two coffees and a litre of wine. Several wines available in 500ml carafes, which we appreciated.

We seemed to have a preponderance of ham, but that was probably our fault and not a bad thing in my view.

Food generally good. Highpoints were a sort of ham sandwich with tomato (sorry for poor description). Low point was a bland wet polenta – texturally unexciting.