Where is LAVO London?
LAVO is the flagship Italian restaurant of the independent luxury hotel The BoTree in Marylebone, just behind Oxford Street and Bond Street tube station. The restaurant is under the management of the Tao Group, which is well-known, as the group is also responsible for upscale establishments like Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant Hakkasan. Originally hailing from the US, LAVO has built a fine reputation based on sophisticated Italian cuisine with sites in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, the restaurant at The BoTree is LAVO’s first London site.
Interiors and vibe at LAVO London
LAVO London follows a similar design theory to the US sites, blending pale wood, stone floors and lots of foliage to create a distinct Mediterranean garden vibe. When I arrived on a windy summer’s evening the upstairs bar was hosting a private event, so although we were unable to use the space the hustle and bustle of the event added to the atmosphere of this two-storey restaurant. While waiting for my guest I was taken downstairs to our table, the restaurant is set out in a way that all the tables and booths have an air of privacy, so our table would have been perfect for a friend catch-up or date night.
The space is airy with lots of foliage and low-level lighting adding to a comfortable but elegant atmosphere. The tables are elegantly dressed with a small table lamp to add to the ambience. Once my guest arrived we were greeted by Carlo, the Assistant Restaurant Manager, from the Marche who introduced us to the menu and sorted a couple of glasses of champagne.
Food and drink at LAVO London
The menu, as you might have guessed, is a selection of Italian favourites and twists, all designed to be shared family style. We discussed the best dishes and things we “must try” with Carlo and settled on a mixture of starters, some pasta and a main to share. Claudia, our waitress, sorted some sparkling water for us and I loved the water condiments, where you could pick from lime, lemon, orange and grapefruit to accompany your water, genius!
We started with the Hamachi Crudo, with bronze fennel, Sicilian orange, and pepperoncini, this was super citrusy, with a slight spice from the chilli, and light and refreshing and the Beef Carpaccio, an Italian classic, with black truffle, rocket and Parmigiano Reggiano, this was super raw, thinly sliced beef that melted in your mouth, a very balanced dish with salty Parmesan and bitter rocket and to top it all off fresh truffle.
The sommelier, Fabrizio from Calabria, partnered this with an Occhi di Ciumi, a white Etna DOC produced from grapes of Carricante and Grecanico. The wine is a brilliant clear straw yellow and the nose has notes of intense floral and tropical fruit. In the mouth, it is fresh, complex, and with good sapidity so worked well with both the citrus of the Hamachi and the buttery meat of the Carpaccio.
We then moved on to the pasta course, which we had intended on sharing, but Carlo insisted on us trying two different plates of pasta including the Crab Cappellacci and the Silk Handkerchiefs. The Crab Cappellacci was made with Cornish crab, mascarpone and sambuca; fresh al dente with tomato that was so soft the skin had been peeled off, the was crab sweat and creamy making for a lovely balanced dish. The Silk Handkerchiefs were on another level, wild boar white bolognese, Parmigiano Reggiano and black truffle in a cut-up open pasta style that was so meaty, super umami flavours, with a hefty truffle portion, this pasta was perfectly cooked with a slight bite.
By this point, I am not sure there was any more room but we forged on, sharing the Scottish Salmon with courgettes, chickpeas, white wine and a Sicilian oregano crust. The salmon was soft and creamy which balanced the salty herby crust and citrus jus perfectly. We made a dent in this but could not finish it, word to the wise, portions at LAVO are generous to say the least, so order wisely and you can always add more as you go.
While we could not eat any more food there was always room for wine, and Fabrizio presented us with an absolutely stunning wine, a Curtefranca Bianco DOC “Uccellanda” 2018 from Bellavista. Anyone who knows me will know I am a big fan of Franciacorta, an Italian sparkling wine made method traditional, well this was a still wine made by a famous Franciacorta house, Bellavista.
This wine is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc, which gives it a delicate and balanced taste with notes of pear, apple, and honey. Golden yellow in colour, there are lifted perfumes of yellow apples, quince and ripe fruits with a hint of vanilla on the nose. On the palate, it was rich, creamy and elegant with a long finish, the perfect end to an utterly indulgent evening.
The stairs back up to the ground level were certainly a workout after so much excess but we left happy and full, any Italian Nonna would have been proud. LAVO London works for so many occasions, from a casual lunch to a friends’ night out, with great food, great wine and a great vibe you will be sure to have an excellent experience, just maybe learn from my mistake and take a doggie bag!
LAVO London
The BoTree
34 Marylebone Lane
London
W1U 2DR
United Kingdom
