Luce E Limoni - Reservar una mesa

Luce e Limoni is a charming neighbourhood restaurant in leafy Clerkenwell that I’m overjoyed to have discovered. The day I visited, Chiltern Fire House was being heralded on the cover of a magazine as the hottest restaurant in London and I couldn’t help being amused that we were dining at the antithesis of the celebrity circus restaurant. While I enjoy a good ‘scene’ restaurant as much as the next London foodie, I got a kick out of finding a real under-the-radar hidden gem – exactly what this blog was started for. We arrived early evening and had the place to ourselves for a short while before a steady stream of locals, groups of friends and the after-work crowd arrived. The restaurant is petite and lovingly designed with comfy seats and vintage-style pictures of Sicilian lemons adorning the walls. Sicilian chef Fabrizio Zafarana offers a tantalising menu of seasonal dishes that take inspiration from his homeland. The cooking is honest and unpretentious but with flair, and uses authentic Mediterranean ingredients. To start, I ordered the Burrata with Sicilian caponata £9.95). The enormous ball of fresh burrata was cool and silky with a soft, creamy centre and topped with black pepper and olive oil. It was served on a bed of rich, flavoursome caponata made up of slow-cooked aubergine, celery, onion, pepper and black and green olives. It was a delicious, simple starter done exceedingly well, plus the portion size is big enough for two to share. Steven ordered the Baked mackerel timbal with capers, ricotta, samphire and red pepper couli £9.50). The flavoursome, flaky mackerel was oven-baked with light and creamy ricotta and encased in paper-thin filo pastry – almost like a Sicilian quiche. It was sat atop a tangy, slightly spicy red pepper couli and the accompaniment of fresh, salty steamed samphire perfectly complimented the flavours. For my main course, I couldn’t resist the Slowly roasted pork belly served with lentils and Marsala reduction £14.95). It was a comforting, rustic dish that I could imagine coming 0ut of a kitchen in rural Sicily. The high quality piece of pork belly was succulent and tender, with contrasting textures of lean meat, melt-in-the-mouth fat and crunchy pork crackling. The lentils were beautifully-cooked with tiny pieces of vegetable and had a slightly sweet taste. There could have been a little more of the delicious Marsala reduction to accompany the pork, however every mouthful was an absolute delight. Steven went for the Roast rump of lamb with cinnamon, date and caramelised shallots with red wine jus and rosemary, with mashed potato £15.95). The roast lamb was so tender and juicy and it was served with roasted whole shallots and a generous amount of buttery, smooth mashed potato. The highlight of the dish was the intense red wine jus infused with aromatic herbs and spices. The cinnamon and cloves gave it a festive feel, so it didn’t seem like a summer menu dish, but it was a welcome comfort as the rain was beating down outside. For dessert, I went for the simple classic of Lemon Meringue £5.50). It had the potential to be a great dessert, but sadly the proportions were all wrong. I quite liked the crispy, wafer-thin pastry basket, but it was filled with just a thin layer of tart, zesty lemon curd and a mountain of dense, whipped meringue. I never usually leave even a tiny morsel of dessert on my plate, but I had to give up on half of the meringue and still left on a sugar high. Steven’s Tiramisu £6.50) was a much more successful dessert. Crunchy biscotti were doused in potent espresso and liqueur and finished with cool, creamy mascarpone. Luce e Limoni is a fantastic spot for when you fancy some delicious Sicilian food in a low-key, attractive setting. The staff were friendly and attentive and contemporary Sicilian music at just the right volume added to the cosy atmosphere. It’s definitely a new addition to my London eating address book.

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luce e limoni is a beautiful restaurant. it is a stunning creation filled with ploughly sitting opportunities and several gorgeous huge crystal drop chandeliers hanging straight out of the wide range. but instead of looking glamorous, the vintage touches like the old pictures of the Sicilian lemons on the walls, and the rustic floor length weinregal add a dash of class and tradition to the restaurant. the beauty of the restaurant is matched by the botschaft behind the kitchen. the owner fabrizio zafarana serves local Sicilian cuisine and goes back to its roots by embraced its traditional ingredients and recipes. in the did, the name itself refers to the light and the lemons on the island zafarana. the menu is extensive and full of seasonal Sicilian dishes, of which I have not seen far on the menus in london. next to the warm broth basket and the olives to begin, I ordered the Brat eggplant with the melting pecorino cheese, tomato and mint leaves. this was a delicious, well-sized starter that reminded me of moussaka due to his presentation. my brothers tried the meerrot kings scallops with sawn from flower cabbage and sardelles, from which the scallops were divine, as well as the creamy mozzarella cheese with Sicilian caponata, which is a simple but well combined. for the most important courses luce e limoni has a large selection including sections for pastas, risottos, meat and fish. after a lot of consulting I decided for pumpkin gnocchi with pistachio sauce and early baptism. this was again a great flavor-style with many delicious taste layers in it. my brothers tried grilled thunfish steak with grilled red pfeffer and swirling and baked hard fish in broth crust, crumble and pecorino cheese, with spicy fresh tomato salsa and fennel burl. hard fish is a rare dish to find on a menu in london, but luce e limoni serves it well and with its traditional Sicilian roots in understood. Although I had not much space for dessert, it was much too tempting and so ended the order of pistachio semifreddo with Sicilian melone geleee, which arrived as a heavy but well balanced dish. we also sniff in our meal with the hot chocolate fondante with hazelnut, which was a divine dessert and cassatina siciliana, a delicious traditional cake-like Sicilian creation. it is obvious that every court here is carefully created to represent real Sicilian aromes. In addition, they also have weeping from the artisan producers of the island, who through with their authentic thema. I could afford seconds: luce e limoni serves high quality food and the prices reflect this. their starters cost approx. £10, which is an expensive starter, but the quantities are large enough to justify this. the most important courses ranging from £10 to £15 and dessert are sufficient prices to about £6. they are not the cheapest Sicilian restaurant, but the prices are quite the quality of the kitchen they use. overall: I was very impressed by luce e limoni. the Sicilian cuisine was delicious and well made and the decor is stunning yet low key. in addition, all staff members are very friendly, committed and knowledgeable about the food they were served, which is always a bonus. this seems a popular location for locals and those in the know, and it is a restaurant that I also return.

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What strikes you immediately when you walk into this cozy looking Italian restaurant are the chandeliers. Yes, I have seen chandeliers before in all their magnificent crystal glory but here their understated arrangement of these sparkling providers of glamour over every table in an otherwise rather homely looking space, is commendable. This therefore makes for the perfect second date spot, you know, when you need the place to be slightly suave and not have too many loud conversations about childhood memories and your deepest secrets but at the same time the atmosphere should be comfortable and familiar enough to avoid any pretentious drinking of champagne and discussing conflict resolution. Here you can safely order authentic Sicilian comfort food and dine surrounded by some beautiful ambient lighting. Just as lovely as the place looks, the food looks painfully stunning as well. We were encircled by tables full of good looking food and were eventually spoilt for choice. Settling finally on the Baked Swordfish Loin, which came battered in bread crust with a little bit of fresh Salsa to go with. A few bites in and I felt quite full yet not uncomfortably so; I had obviously picked one of the more healthy options on the menu. We also tried the Grilled T-Bone veal which was slow cooked to perfection and was literally falling off the bone. In spite of being quite satisfied and full with just our main-courses, we had to give the desserts a try. The Tiramisu was light and bitter in the right places. The Pistachio Semifreddo; which essentially tastes like frozen custard with melon jelly on the side is something of a must-try off their menu. In a Nutshell: Pick this place if you are fond of Italian food and wish to explore the vast possibilities of flavours and ingredients that the country’s varied cuisine has to offer. All this in a friendly and yet sophisticated surrounding makes for the perfect semi-formal spot for a weekday dinner.

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I went to Luce I Limoni a night ago with my lovely friends placed close to Chancery Lane and therefore right in the middle of bustling London life I cannot believe that such a gem remains so hidden. Our welcome to Luce I Limoni on our arrival was warm and friendly beyond what I would normally expect of a restaurant; somethhing which set the mood for our whole evening. After our warm greeting and being shown to our table. Our waitress came straight over and introduced herself as well as bringing 3 beautifully presented menus and the wine list. Having already seen the menu on an earlier foray on Zomato I knew pretty much what I wanted. The Fritto Misto was my starter of choice and this did not disappoint. The seafood served tasted fresh and was beautifully prepared. Paired with the fresh bread this made the perfect starter to our meal. After indulging in a very large (for the cost) starter, concluding with a main seemed extravagant but impossible to resist. I plumped for the rabbit leg stuffed with mushroom pate, served with fennel mash and green beans sauteed in butter. This rich main was not unwelcome even after such a filling and delicious starter. The ambience here was second to none. With beautiful (albeit lemon themed) pictures adorning the walls. And classic crystal drop lighting filling the air space of the restaurant. Last but certainly not least the service was immaculate. The waitress knew each special in minute detail and explained to us any dish we were unsure of while the wine waiter never failed to re fill our cups with either wine or water the entire meal. Luce I Limoni, you have excelled both in food and service. I will certainly be back.

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This is a lovely little restaurant just down from chancery lane. The place is surprisingly cosy and smaller than I was expecting. The chandeliers are stunning. There were only two members of waiting staff working tonight, and as it started getting busy, I was worried that they wouldn't be able to offer quick enough service. However they did an exceptional job and managed to offer a very friendly, helpful and personal service. I had a special to start, which consisted of the most creamy mozzarella I've ever tasted, avocado and tomatoes. It was lovely. For the main I had swordfish, which was on a bed of fennel, the fish was rolled up, a method I haven't seen before. It was lovely. The meal was great value, and it's easy to spend a similar amount and get bang average food in London. But here you can appreciate the great care that has gone into making the food. Oh and beware the starters are about as big as the mains! Definitely worth a visit if your a fan of seafood!

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