01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Coated in fine breadcrumbs and pan-fried until fragrant and golden, the Milanese cutlet of Hokkaido Yongen Kamui pork is the dish to order first on a visit to Dilettante. Pounded thin, the premium pork loin turns pleasantly crisp on the outside while remaining tender and moist within, avoiding any sense of heaviness. Though broad enough to fill a large plate, it stays effortlessly easy to finish alongside its garnish of grilled vegetables.
The other cornerstone of the menu is the lasagna, built from layers of slow-cooked signature meat sauce, bright tomato acidity, and browned, melted cheese. Skilfully balanced so as never to feel weighed down, each forkful highlights rich depth alongside clean tomato notes. Diners leaning toward pasta might also look to the peperoncino topped generously with Italian bottarga and boiled whitebait, where salted cured roe and a hint of chilli cling neatly to the al dente noodles.
Appetisers and small plates are calibrated just as thoughtfully for drinking. Options include an octopus carpaccio seasoned with a special oba leaf and olive sauce accented by lemon and anchovy, as well as a moist pâté de campagne that naturally invites a glass of wine. An unusual cream-style ajillo, blending the savoury richness of bottarga into its sauce around plump prawns, is another favourite best finished by mopping up every drop with crusty baguette.
Beyond the wine available by the glass and bottle, the drinks list features house sangria, gin and tonics mixed with Italian craft gin, and a limoncello-based lemon sour. Lingering after dinner brings the option of an aromatic grappa, a dense Italian pudding, or a slice of ricotta cake. With both counter seating and relaxed sofa booths, the tranquil interior makes a comfortable backdrop for conversation into the evening.
