Describing itself as a “tribute to the dining rooms of urban Tuscany”, Russell Norman’s Trattoria Brutto sees the founder of the Polpo chain return with a simple, no frills formula.
The title of the restaurant refers to the popular Italian expression “brutto ma buono” which roughly translates as ‘ugly but good’. With regards to Norman’s new restaurant, the term may well refer to the venue’s no nonsense approach to dining embodied in its old school, no reservations, no small plates stance.
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To make this vision a reality, Norman has once again engaged ex Soho Firehouse chef Oliver Diver. The two worked together at Polpo, and after a brief seperation when Diver went to work in Melbourne, Australia, the pair are back together again for Norman’s latest venture.
To gather inspiration for their new restaurant, the duo recently set off on a culinary tour of Florence, taking in some of the region’s many culinary delights.
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For Trattoria Brutto, Norman & Diver have utilised this experience, fashioning a series of dishes that pays homage to the rich tradition of Tuscan cuisine, with delights like chicken liver toasts, lamb chops al cartoccio and pappardelle with wild boar.
The drinks menu, meanwhile, will be dominated by “old-world European wines combining cult classics with smaller producers will total 100 labels, including some larger formats and rare vintages.”
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So, if you fancy some no nonsense, old school Italian cooking this autumn, there really is only one place to go.
Trattoria Brutto will open at 36-37 Greenhill Rents, Cowcross St, EC1M 6BN on the 23rd of September 2021. More information about the venue can be found here.
For information on other great places to eat and drink in London, please click here.
