Manicomio

A ‘super-trendy & glam King’s Road eatery’ is how one reader describes the original branch of Manicomio (there’s another in the City). Fans are full of enthusiasm for the kitchen’s take on contemporary Italian cuisine, which produces anything from Gorgonzola, fig & endive salad to slow-roast shoulder of Blackface lamb with artichokes, capers & white wine. Otherwise, settle for a bowl of linguine alle vongole, then conclude with a ‘perfect 10’ dessert of blood orange & rhubarb trifle topped with crumbled biscotti. Wines are an Italian bunch & snacks are available in the next-door café/deli. Modern art & red leather banquettes grace the elegant interior, though a table on the terrace comes ‘close to perfection’ in summer, but be warned – the place lives up to its manic moniker & gets ‘mobbed on Saturdays for lunch’, as the shoppers pile in. ‘Pricey, but worth every penny’ is a typical verdict.