Alba Restaurant

pantagruel

Good value City Italian 6th July 2007

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This is a little-known, good value Italian restaurant hidden away on the northern edge of the Barbican. Its 'traditional' decor was getting rather tired-looking, so the makeover a little while ago was welcome. It is now very smart.

The staff all seem to be italian, so the experience still feels authentic. Service was good and well paced - particularly important at lunchtime. The food, which remains traditional italian, is very good. On my most recent visit with a business guest, I had an artichoke & rucola salad to start (nice and light but with a very bland dressing). My guest had salmon on a sort of pappadum on a bed of rucola. Appreciative noises suggested this went down well.

We both followed with the pasta of the day: two sorts of agnolotti, one stuffed with peas and ricotta, the other with pumpkin. Delicious, accompanied by some well-prepared spinach. We both declined pudding, but these are a mix of the traditional kind (panna cotta, tiramisu etc.) with a few more British ones.

With coffee, but without puds and just one glass of wine, this came to about £30/head - very good value for a venue of this calibre in the City.