By Angela Green: Creative, concise and accomplished cooking matched by attentive and charming service.
Chef Endris Kerbizi and partner Giulia Quaglia, who runs the front-of-house, have made Giulia Restaurant in west London a very personal business.
The petite and unassuming Askew Road site in Shepherd’s Bush opened just over a year ago, and has gained a hugely enthusiastic local clientele who praise the creative, concise and accomplished cooking which is matched by the very attentive and charming service.
Endris makes everything on the menu in-house, including the focaccia, all pastas and gelato.
Highlights of the current spring menu (for lunch and dinner), changing monthly, are:
- Seared octopus, cauliflower, potato purée and nduja sauce
- Charred white asparagus, cannellini bean purée, crispy egg and guanciale
- Beef carpaccio, potato crisps, spicy mayo and mixed baby leaf salad
- Sheep ricotta ravioli, mint and Italian pea velouté
- Wild garlic fettuccine, stracciatelle, anchovies and breadcrumbs
- Lamb cutlets, cream potato, caraciofi alla Romana and burnt peppers
- Beef sirloin (dry-aged 35 days), beetroot purée and Chioggia radicchio
- Fish of the day – with peas, fava bean and watercress emulsion
- Rum Baba and vanilla gelato
- Millefoglio, strawberries and custard cream
Prices are from £13 for starters, while main courses are from £26, and desserts from £8.
The short all-Italian wine list carefully matches the food, and is updated regularly.
Bottles are from £28, with 10 options by the glass from £6.75.
Endris was previously at the Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge, Galvin La Chapelle, and Massimo (at Corinthia London, now closed), while Giulia worked in operations at Bocconcino in Mayfair, followed by the Bulgari – which is where the couple met.
As Giulia explains: “While working together at the hotel, we dreamed about finding our own independent, local restaurant in London. We fell in love with the neighbourhood around Askew Road, and have strived very hard over the past year to make it a welcoming place with authentic but contemporary Italian food and drink.”
Address: 77 Askew Road, London W12 9AH
Website: www.giuliarestaurant.co.uk
Instagram: @giulia.restaurant
Reservations: 020-8743 0572
Email: giuliarestaurant@gmail.com
Opening hours: Dinner Tuesday-Saturday 5.30pm-10.30pm, Lunch Thursday
Saturday Noon-3pm, Sunday Noon-4pm
