Vesuvio

Here’s an Italian gem just off Brick Lane. Who would have thought? It used to be all curry houses. With Doppio Coffee nearby, is this a new trend? :-)
The first time we had a pizza, and it was good enough for us to return. The second time, we had pizza as well, but some members of our party branched out to other types of food, and I discovered that perhaps this is the true strength of the place. It’s what I would consider authentic Italian food — not just food tailored to a foreign market.
We tried the seafood risotto, which was amazing. Also the lamb chops were delicious. The true strength of Italian cuisine is acknowledged to be in large part due to the high quality of the ingredients, and this clearly comes through especially in the salads here — very fresh vegetables.
I found out that the chef is from Sardinia, and a bonus is that he’s a real character! You just can’t ignore his personality. He welcomes you at the door, comes over to the table while you’re eating, keeps adjusting the music for his and your amusement, tries to guess where you’re from, etc. I’m the type that likes to be left alone at restaurants, but in this case it’s actually quite charming and fun.