Harry’s Bar Review: A Slice of La Dolce Vita – ★★★★

What Jane doesn’t love a bit of la Dolce Vita? Well, we found just the spot to live a little crazy and splurge on the Italian good life without the morning after credit card guilt.

A brand new addition to the stylish, soiree streets of St Christopher’s Place, Harry’s is the perfect restaurant & bar for all your Average Jane la Dolce Vita dreaming. With the relaxed but sophisticated vibe and charming 1950’s style décor, it offers affordable luxury in the heart of the West End.

A perfect spot to stop for weekend brunch, a long, leisurely lunch, a girly catch up over dinner and cocktails, or a late night dinner after some good old retail therapy on Oxford Street. With the relaxed but sophisticated vibe it’s classy-cool, glam and even a little bit sexy. We tried and tested this slice of Dolce Vita as a date destination to see if it could withstand the single girl date diaries. Here goes…

We went semi-al fresco which gave us the luxury of feeling very Rome-nights whilst also absorbing the atmosphere. Tip: ask for a window seat! After the most important part of the evening was decided (cough: apart from the date, obviously), a plump bottle of smooth, red, Italian wine was poured. We had the Nero D’Avola, Legato from Sicily (note: next holiday) for a very reasonable £19.50. (He’s a red wine drinker. Tick.)

We started with olives to curb the hunger pains whilst we struggled to decide from the array of mouth-watering menu choices and specials. With decision making skills at an all-time low on a Wednesday EOP, I realised instantly why it made such a perfect date spot, as you can simply choose two and share! (Caveat: ensure your date is a sharer! Fortunately mine was. Tick.)

I would eat Burrata for breakfast so that was my only easy decision for starters, we also went with the Tuna Crudo. His choice, and a great choice. Again, tick.

Burrata

Creamy burrata served on grilled red and yellow peppers, finished with parmesan pangrattato and aged balsamic

£9.95

 

Tuna Crudo

Raw Yellow Fin tuna with avocado yoghurt, lemon dressing, fresh datterini tomatoes, basil and crushed pistachios

£9.95

 

For mains we divulged in the Aubergine Parmigiana and Truffled Chicken with Olive oil and parmesan mashed potato and chopped seasonal greens with parmesan and lemon. If your mouth is watering at your date, like mine, then at least you can blame it on the menu, right!

Aubergine Parmigiana

Slices of aubergine layered with buffalo mozzarella and scamorza cheese,

 served in a rich tomato sauce

£15.95

Truffled Chicken

Roast half-chicken served in a creamy mascarpone truffle sauce,

 sautéed mushrooms, parsley and garlic

£18.95

 

Disclaimer: Save room for dessert

Thee most glam-on-the-gram dessert, it even bares resemblance to a unicorn…I know! The Gianduia Sandae was everything it promised to be and whilst you can’t pronounce it, words can’t describe it anyway! They do say a picture paints a thousand words though, so here you go…

GIANDUIA SUNDAE

Milk gelato and bitter chocolate gelato, IGP Piedmontese hazelnut brownie,

 chocolate mousse and salted caramel sauce

£8.95

 

Service with a big smile made the whole evening wonderfully comfortable and was the perfect balance of not-too-attentive-but-attentive-enough, which is a massive date tick for us (unless it’s going badly!). It wasn’t your average Dolce Vita restaurant which makes it the perfect Dolce Vita restaurant for us Average Janes. Wine and dine, ladies. And yes, in case you were wondering, there will be another date. Tick.

Check out all the fuss on Instagram @harrysldn or on their website.

For all you London Janes

• Nearest tube is Bond Street
• Call to reserve your table on 0203 3971 9444
• CityMapper – 30-34 James Street, London, W1U 1ER

 

Opening times

• Monday – Friday 8am to Midnight (last orders 11pm)
• Saturday & Sunday 9am to Midnight (last order 11pm).