Restaurant Review: Cucina Cinzia in Fulham

I should have known that Cucina Cinzia (in Fulham) and I wouldn't quite get on as I maintain an entirely rational hatred of Fulham and all that it contains. Fulham and I will never be friends. I don't get up on a Saturday morning and iron a dress shirt for casual wear and then accessorise it with a rugby shirt draped over my shoulders and Fulham doesn't wear low slung jeans and ride fixed wheel bikes. Fulham's idea of adventure is going to Devon, my idea of adventure is going to Peckham tonight to try a "meating" (more on that next week).

But seriously now. Fulham is a long way away from my usual haunts in central, East or South London and Cucina Cinzia is a reflection of that. All the supper clubs I have visited up until Cucina Cinzia have been in the edgier bits of London (such as Saltoun Supper Club in Brixton, TOOB in Dalston, F&L in London Fields etc, Civet Cat in Newington Green etc.). Nights tend to be raucous, the food tends to be a bit experimental and the atmosphere free flowing.

Restaurant Review: Trail Of Our Bread supper club in Dalston

It is a relief when you can be concise; our night at Trail Of Our Bread (TOOB) last Saturday will be one of the best nights I have this year.  If you like food and know how to get to London Fields without a map go here and beg for a place as you won't regret it.

I can think of no supper club (bar The Pale Blue Door but then it did have Rusella the drag queen - review here) where I have had so much raw fun.  This was only the TOOB's third supper club, it cost a mere £20 but it was blow you away good.  This was not about money, rep or anything else, it was about a passion for food.  And it showed.

We committed guest sacrilege by turning up early as the rain forced us into a cab.  There can be nothing worse than guests turning up early when you are having that final panic before everyone arrives but there we were, sober and judgmental.  This didn't phase TOOB at all and I was allowed to assist with the stereo system and Jen was allowed to assist by drinking white wine.  This gave us all the more time to appreciate the decoration.  Their flat is the kind of thing "Friends" would be set in nowadays if it was called "Hipsters" and was set in Dalston.*  Industrial relaxed cool warehouse chic.  And then it had been attacked by a briliant set designer with a sense of fun.  Jelly fish dripped from the ceiling with lights blinking at us.  A painted mermaid stared out us from the edge of the room.  Toy fish nestled on our plates.  Passion and effort were embedded and baked into the flat.