Luisa Welch discovers perfect pasta with a world of vermouths downstairs
When I stumbled on Mele e Pere in Soho I could not help but smile. You could get the pun straight away, or it might dawn on you later. Mele e Pere translates as apples and pears, which is the endearing rhyming cockney slang for stairs, and indeed there are quite a few stairs down to the main restaurant. Once you are there though, your search is over. Because here’s a slice of Italy I had long forgotten.
I went for the food, I stayed for the magnificent selection of drinks, or more precisely, vermouths. An invitation to explore one of Italy’s most cherished aperitivo traditions, the bar features almost 100 different vermouths, mostly from Italy, but paying homage to other vermouth-experimenting countries, such as Australia, Germany, Belgium, the USA, New Zealand and the UK of course, including Scotland.
The choice is mesmerising but Mele e Pere makes it easy by offering a ‘Vermouth Flight’ of three they are ‘loving right now’. Which means the flight is ever changing and if you dine at this lovely restaurant often enough, you can get to try a large selection of what’s on offer.
I tried two flights, consisting of a classic Contratto Bianco from Turin, Italy, Apos Rose’ from Germany and Mele e Pere ‘Made Right Here’ red. Then Chazelle Extra Dry and Dora Grossa both from Turin, and a complex Karmina red.
Turin is of course, the capital of vermouths, with a long history going back to the mid 1700’s started by Carpano, which has since become a household name in the vermouth world. In a small store in Turin, Antonio Benedetto Carpano started to sell his base wine with an infusion of herbs, spices and roots, a concoction first used as a stomach soother before it became the drink of choice of the female aristocracy. And the rest is vermouth history.
Pinpointing a winner in the small selection I tasted is impossible, but Dora Grossa edged its way to the top, with notes of cinnamon, ginger and vanilla.
Ideal for stimulating the appetite before a meal, these vermouths certainly did their job, as I was ready to sample what Mele e Pere’s menu had to offer.
Another surprise here, with some lesser-known starters such as Olive Ascolane, a much loved food of Ancona in Le Marche region, but virtually unknown here. The ultimate street food of central Italy, these are large green olive stuffed with meats then coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried. Delicious? Absolutely!
Then a tasty, if unconventionally prepared, Vitello Tonnato, cold and thinly sliced veal with a mayonnaise sauce and capers. The Burrata with Roast Peppers required no cooking but it was top quality. Then onto a morish Pappardelle with Duck Ragu and a generous shaving of truffle, and grated parmesan for good measure, and a perfectly cooked Fillet of Cod, so tender and flaky that it needed little else but the crab sauce which came with it was divine. A taste of Panna Cotta with Red Fruit was delicious and refreshing.
I had no wine with the meal as the vermouths were enough, but the concise and well-chosen wine list offers all the favourites, many by the glass, which would do justice to any of the dishes on offer.
Indulging in one last drink, I chose Chinato, which to me is more of a digestif than an aperitif, combining on this occasion red Barbera D’Asti DOCG wine with Quinine Bark. An acquired taste for many, but to me, utterly delicious. And I will go back to Mele e Pere to taste it again, along with some of the other vermouths.
In the heart of Soho, the restaurant also offers a two or three course Lunch and Pre-Theatre Menu, and a Supper Club menu which changes periodically. Right now, this menu focuses on Sicily and offers three courses at £29, to include Lobster Salad, Handmade Ravioli with Ricotta and aubergine, and Cassata gelato.
The upstairs is bright and welcoming, and it’s perfect for a quick lunch or a pizza with glass of wine (and yes, delicious pizza is on offer too), but it’s downstairs you want to be – take the apples and pears – and explore what’s down the stairs.
46 Brewer Street, Soho London W1F 9TF [email protected] www.meleepere.co.uk