Maybe I shouldn't admit this, I'm not sure but normally when I write a review of a restaurant I've been to I like to read other people's reviews first. Its not because I want to copy what they've written, nor is it that I want to agree with the respected publications but merely to gauge general opinions and whether I'm totally off the mark with mine.
So when I looked at the reviews of Santoré, an Italian restaurant in Exmouth Market I was surprised to see such mediocre reports from some of the more well-known critics. I loved it. I will preface my review by saying that I was fairly drunk before sitting down so any food would have sufficed but it was still excellent. May I also point out that my friend Kate's Italian boyfriend, Niki says this is his favourite Italian in London and was the reason why we went here.
The decor in Santoré is certainly nothing to rave about. Fairly standard cream walls, beige tiles and wooden furniture but I don't think this a particularly negative comment - its appropriate for an extremely hectic and buzzing restaurant that is all about the food and the atmosphere. We were there on a Friday night and so it was super busy but it was still warm and friendly and our waiter was suitably attentive.
You should definitely go to Santoré with a group of friends because the best thing about it is the metre long "al-metro" pizzas which are a Neapolitan tradition and I imagine what the restaurant is known for. You can pick loads of different pizza varieties and everything comes on a huge wooden board fresh from the traditional pizza oven. Since none of us were going to make any fast decisions, Niki ordered for us and soon the table was overtaken by yummy smells, colours and fresh ingredients.
The pizzas are lovely. Thin, dry and crispy crusts with a good tomato base and loads of toppings. The rest of the base could have been, for me, a little bit crispier but really, these are very very tasty pizzas. Delicious aubergines, rocket, mushrooms, prosciutto, all sorts and apparently all the fresh ingredients are sourced directly from Naples. The chefs too, are all from Naples and its surrounding areas.
The menu is fairly extensive and actually I wish that we'd have ordered other things because they really do look wonderful. I did have a sneaky little antipasti of smoked mozzarella in breadcrumbs with sautéed aubergines, which everyone helped me eat I might add and that was gorgeous. I'm such a sucker for smoked cheese. But, the menu is truly Italian with some excellent meat and fish choices as well as all the pizza and pasta and of course the Neapolitan specialities. I am definitely going back to Santoré with even more people, so that we can order everything on the menu - Bellissimo!
