By Roger Crow
‘Obicà Mozzarella Bar, located in the heart of Soho, London, is an Italian restaurant and pizzeria that prides itself on offering the finest Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, along with a variety of traditional Italian dishes, all within a warm and welcoming ambience’.
That’s sort of the official line from the company, but how accurate is it?
Well, there’s certainly a warm welcome when Mrs C and I arrive early and sit outside, soaking up a few rays before our lunchtime booking.
At the core of their menu, we find an exquisite assortment of mozzarellas sourced directly from the lush plains of Campania.
And as we were lucky enough to sample the real thing on our first trip to Italy a few years ago, there’s no difference between the quality in London or in Naples.
The accompanying rustic bread with fresh basil leaves, olive oil and delicious tomatoes, it’s quite easy to fill up on carbs before the main arrives. Especially when I find the balsamic vinegar, and suddenly the bread takes on a new flavour. Seriously, if you’d told me as a kid that balsamic vinegar existed, I’d have asked for it every birthday rather than have to wait 30-plus years to find out. The restaurant’s aged Modena brand is so good I need to track it down immediately.
Anyway, back to now, and my main is a no-brainer. The lasagna with beef ragu (£15.50) is to die for with perfectly cooked layers of fresh pasta, delicious sauce and cheese complimenting one another perfectly. There’s a very generous portion which proves very filling, so I reluctantly have to leave a third, which is a sacrifice worth making.
Rachel opts for an equally delicious vegetarian option: Trofie with basil pesto, potatoes, green beans and pine nuts (£13) melts on the tongue. A delicate mix of flavours that rewards the diner with each mouthful.
It’s a Saturday lunchtime and it doesn’t take long for the place to start filling up. Obviously with the pandemic and global economy affecting the dining trade, times have been tough over the last couple of years for every restaurant in Blighty, Italian or otherwise, and it’s good to see business thriving once more. Given the quality of the food, and the not bad prices (especially considering it’s London), I doubt Obicà will have much trouble selling their summer menu in the last few weeks of what has been a hit-and-miss season on the weather front.
We consider calling it a day, but the more I chat with the general manager about the desserts (they don’t do cannoli sadly), the more I realise we can’t leave without sampling something sweet. And as I’m hard-wired to try tiramisu in every decent Italian we visit, it’s not long before a trip of mini desserts have arrived at our table. As this version of my favourite sweet treat is alcohol-free, there’s just that pure hit of chocolate and caffeine. It’s almost a crime not to have one before you leave. An equally delicious mini baked cheesecake also hits the spot, as does the Torta Du Capri, or flourless chocolate and almond cake with Italian gelato. They’re a fiver each, and worth every penny.
Every photo I take of the food could have been used in one of their online adverts, which is more to do with their visual presentation rather than my photography skills.
Good food can be a temporal gateway to another country and another time; one mouthful of good lasagna can transport me to Rome or Naples, but also back in time 50 years to those first mouthfuls of pasta when you’re a kid and your realise for the first time how fun slurping pasta can be. Our palates may become more sophisticated as the years fly by, but we never forget great food, a great restaurant, or good staff, and Obicà in Soho ticks all those boxes. We may not be dining in the shadow of the Colosseum, but the spotless decor, and welcoming ambience is enough to make us want to return sooner rather than later.
Graze mille you lovely Obicà people.
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