Style of the City reviews Bocconcino, Mayfair’s finest Italian restaurant.
Bocconcino opened its doors, in the heart of Mayfair, in 2014 and has since become renowned for serving both classic and modern Italian dishes from Executive Chef Marco Corsica. The Berkeley Street eatery from restaurateur Mikhail Gokhner follows the best culinary principles of Italy, focusing quality ingredients and traditional cooking methods. Alongside the excellent food, guests to Bocconcino experience first class service, a luxurious setting, welcoming atmosphere, and a selection of the finest wines from Italy and around the world.
For chef Marco Corsica (previous of Daphne’s, Cecconi’s, Sartoria and Luciano), ingredients are key to recreating the authentic flavours of his homeland, and the produce will always be the star of a dish at Bocconcino. Having grown up in a family of great cooks and trained as a chef in Naples, Marco expertly balances his respect for classic Italian flavours with a touch of contemporary flair.
On the day of my visit, I opted for their scallops served with a cauliflower purée and bottarga (salted, cured fish roe) as a starter. The scallops were cooked to perfection (bronzed on each side, slightly crispy, but very tender in the inside). If anything, I would have had more… The saltiness of the bottarga due to its fishy taste was well balanced with the softness and more blend flavour of the cauliflower puree which was very light.
The scallops served with a cauliflower purée and bottarga
As a main, I went for their shrimp and sea bass ravioli with black truffles. (Handmade ravioli of prawns and sea bass, sprinkled with black truffles thin slices). Whilst the ravioli were tender, the stuffing was possibly lacking a bit of moisture due to the type of fish, however the sauce and truffle shavings added on top, made every bite more luscious than the previous one. Definitely a very tasty dish.
The shrimp and sea bass ravioli
My guest opted for Parma ham with deep fried cheese pastries (which were devoured promptly) as as a starter. Side note, this a very large starter, so please be mindful when choosing your main dish as you may not have enough room for a second large dish. As a main, she chose linguine with clams, chill, garlic and cherry tomato. As I do not eat meat, I only tried her pasta and found them very scrumptious and seasoned perfectly (I am pescetarian, therefore a huge seafood fan).
The Linguine with clams, chill, garlic and cherry tomato
Overall, I would highly recommend Bocconcino not only for their very appealing Italian food menu, but also for those who enjoy alcoholic beverages, they will be blessed with an extensive wine list, a very stylish interior design, and definitely an outstanding service and staff.
Bocconcino is an amazing establishment which offers an authentic Italian dining experience in the heart of Mayfair, a stone throw away from Green Park station and the perfect hot spot for business lunches or romantics dinners.
For more information visit bocconcinorestaurant.co.uk.
Words by Karine Laudort
