Step into Motorino and the first thing you may experience is temporal dislocation. Have no doubt, this is an effortlessly cool venue, and one that is very self-conscious with it. Maybe the year is 1976, or perhaps it’s 2026 at Motorino. With a retro-chic décor and a menu that describes itself as ‘London Italian’, this restaurant hits the zeitgeist.
Visitors should perhaps not be too surprised. The team behind Motorino were responsible for the still on-trend Town, while the head chef previously worked at Lita. The kitchen is indeed emblematic of the restaurant’s aesthetic. Luke Ahearne and his team are visible to all diners through a lozenge shaped portal located towards the back. It would not look out of place on a spaceship, or perhaps part of a hallucinatory dream. Design is at the heart of Motorino. Think wonderful curves, chic banquettes and a rich spectrum of hues.
None of this is to suggest that the food takes a back seat. Quite the contrary. Motorino keeps things simple, but does them very well. The menu changes with regularity and is conventional in the sense of offering snacks, starters, primi and mains. Around half a dozen of each is available, with a decent enough offering for vegetarians. Pricing is not cheap, but this is sadly 21st century London, and so in-line with other comparable venues.
Your reviewer commenced with a delicious Orkney scallop, pictured. The Scottish coast is a long way from Italy, but the dish was luxuriously elevated by the addition of a decadent Calabrian chilli butter. His dining comrade enjoyed an sea bream crudo, where the blood orange acted as a beautiful acidic foil to the fish. It was also an aesthetic masterpiece. Mains saw us both opt for pasta dishes: respectively, strozapretti (or hand-rolled dumplings) with duck ragu, and gigli (a Tuscan speciality) with gin. Both hit the spot. Plates of meat and fish – a lamb rack sounded particularly enticing – are also available for those with larger appetites.
A delicious bottle of Isole e Olena Chianti helped things along. It was chosen from an intelligently compiled wine list, with options covering Italy’s main wine regions as well as a smattering from France and the New World. Seven craft beers are available too, for the cool crowd. A lunchtime meal that was this promising suggests that an evening experience, where Motorino might really start motoring, would be well merited.