La Famiglia; Ciboure
ALVARO Maccioni seems to have been feeding the young and swinging of London for nearly three generations; he never changes, always joyful, welcoming and unspoilt and bubbling with enthusiasm. He has recently doubled the size of his res- taurant and outside terrace garden, and with due respect to the British summer has erected a frame which can be covered in seconds in case of sudden showers. Enzo Apicella has re-decorated the place in very nice-looking blue and white tiles resemb- ling a lovely old lavatory. The tables are very close together and that old familiar crescendo of decibels is terrific. Enzo is deaf; I think he does it on purpose. If you go early all is cool and quiet, the young never seem to eat until 10 p.m. (La Famiglia, 7 Langton Street, London SW10. Telephone: 351 0761. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week except bank holidays.)
I went with Willie Landels, ex-Harpers and Queen editor, now designing the American Express magazine, a dear friend and eating companion, also an inventive cook in his own right. We kicked off with two perfectly cooked spaghettinis, his the Carrettera which is served in a sauce of raw tomatoes, oregano and garlic (vegetarian), I had the vongole bianca neve which is just clams and garlic, no tomato as is usual, and infinitely more delicate and preferable, giving a really noticeable clam flavour. Willie had a great piece of simply grilled monkfish nicely charred and firm, while I went for the peppery Italian sausages in a fresh tomato sauce, highly seasoned and very meaty, delicious. We had a fine well dressed salad between us.
With espresso coffee, camomile tea, a bottle of 1985 Vino Nobile Montepulciano at £9.10 and a drink beforehand the bill including VAT and cover charge, but not service, came to £38.30. The specialities of the house include vegetarian dishes as well as the usual grills, roasts and offal. The Carpaccio (raw fillet of beef) with the chef sauce is wonderful. I sent our nubile receptionist Celina Southgate-Sayers to the Famiglia for her birthday party for ten young folk. They all had a ball. Returning from a more elderly birthday party in Cumberland, a fine affair for 90 people to celebrate Patricius Senhouse's 60th, in a garden blazing with azaleas and rhododendrons, Tom Hartman and I, hav- ing avoided the dreaded spaghetti junction thank God, but none the less exhausted and in need of food, went to a little restaurant off Eaton Square: Ciboure, 21 Eccleston Street, London SW1. Tele- phone: 730 2505 (closed for lunch on Saturdays and the whole of Sunday).
This place has also been recently redeco- rated. It has a tiny bar, not much room between tables, Puginesque metal chairs (surprisingly comfortable), an English chef, Richard Price, a very nice staff, who come from Ciboure near St Jean de Luz, and a Sardinian maitre called Mauro who is very jolly. Tom chose fresh asparagus with an herb vinaigrette, well cooked but not very generous, about ten spears of the small sprue variety. I resisted scallops and plumped for a hot timbale of mushrooms and artichoke with beurre blanc. This was encased in some artichoke petals; the consistency was excellent but it tasted a trifle insipid, a little more seasoning was necessary. This also applied to Tom's breast of guinea fowl with lime and corian- der (again a rather meagre helping), but my roasted sweetbreads in a light red pepper (capiscum) sauce was very good indeed and the tiny mange-touts, carrots and scalloped potatoes were piping hot and excellent.
For his pudding Tom had a floating island aux pralines caramelisees which looked like a floating fortress and was a dream of sweetness and light; he was very pleased with that. I chose from a splendid selection of cheeses a tomme grise, an amis-chaubertin and some carre de l'est. OK, Crump (Letters, 30 April)? All were spectacular. Good coffee and two choco- lates made like snails ended our dinner.
We had the house wine, a Domaine de l'Echason 1986 at £7.50, a cocktail to start with, and the grand total came to £56.30 including everything. The latest innovation is an after theatre supper for £13.50, offering three courses and coffee. Last orders at 11.15 p.m. They also have a set luncheon menu at the same price.
Nice little place — I enjoyed it.
Jennifer Paterson
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