I’ve always assumed that Obikà Mozzarella Bar & Ristorante is one of those quirky restaurant concepts that originated in London. In fact, the first Obikà Mozzarella Bar opened in Rome’s Piazza di Firenze in 2004 and the brand has since expanded across Italy and to London, New York, LA, Istanbul, Tokyo and Toronto.
The second London outpost is nestled among the designer boutiques and art galleries of the ultra chic Draycott Avenue. After dining there with my pal Coralie, it’s easy to see why the authentic Italian restaurant has been such a huge global success.
Obikà has a slick, upmarket vibe and is surprisingly reasonably priced. It’s the kind of place where you could impress a date without maxing out your credit card. The open doors and windows give it a breezy, al fresco feel – perfect for people watching over an aperitivo.
Coralie started with a glass of Pinot Griot le Vigne 2011 and I went for a Lychee Bellini, which was naturally fruity and not overly sweet. Even though there was a big meal ahead of us, we couldn’t resist tucking into the rustic basket of home-made breads. We dipped the focaccia, sourdough and sunblush tomato bread in a dish of peppery extra-virgin olive oil.
To start, I tried the Mozzarella in Carrozza – breaded mozzarella di bufala (£4.95). The mozzarella was fresh, creamy and sandwiched between a layer of toast and golden breadcrumbs. It was deliciously rich, however the portion size was very large and the bread became a little soft underneath the mozzarella. I enjoyed it with the garnish of rocket and fiery tomato passata dip.
Coralie went for the Tartare di Spigola al Tartufo – sea bass tartare with truffle (£8.95), which was fresh, flavoursome and colourful.
I was tempted by the stone-baked pizzas, but to avoid overloading on bread, I went for the Trofie Pasta with home-made basil pesto, green beans and potatoes (£8.75). This was the most delicious pasta I’ve had in a long time and I savoured every mouthful. The trofie pasta was perfectly springy and substantial and was lightly covered in fresh, home-made basil pesto, with small pieces of green beans and soft potatoes.
Coralie went for a summery platter of smoked mozzarella, thin slices of cappocolo, cured meat, fresh figs, black olives, baby plum tomatoes and basil. The full-bodied smoked mozzarella was absolutely heavenly and the portion size was very generous. The cured meats were strongly-flavoured and delectable – a perfect accompaniment to the mozzarella.
There’s always room for dessert, so I ordered a light Millefoglie Sbriciolato con Fragole (£3.95). Unexpectedly, it was a more ‘decontructed’ millefoglie than the traditional version. A large bowl was filled with light lemon custard and topped with flakes of pastry, fresh strawberries and icing sugar. It was tasty and light, even though the huge portion size was more than enough to share.
For dessert, Coralie ordered the Degustazione di Dolci – Crema di Ricotta, Torta Caprese and Tiramisu (£6.35). The Torta Caprese was rich, dense, chocolaty and filled with almonds. The Crema di Ricotta was thick, creamy and fragrant, infused with candied fruit, honey and pine nuts. The Tiramisu was just as it should be – a delicious mini classic.
To finish, Coralie had an espresso and I went for a Cioccolata Calda, both served with a physalis dipped in dark chocolate. It wasn’t the thick, molten Cioccolata Calda that you find in Italy, but it was made with high quality cocoa and I could add my own sugar to taste. As if that wasn’t enough, we were offered an after dinner Limoncello (£3.75) – a sweet, zesty and potent infusion of lemon peel from the Sorrento Peninsula.
Obikà is sure to become a South Kensington favourite, as it serves authentic Italian dishes in a stylish setting at very reasonable prices. Whether it’s for a summer smoked mozzarella and cured meat platter, or a comforting pizza in the colder months, Obikà is the place for a satisfying mozzarella fix.
For more information and booking, visit: www.obika.co.uk
Chérie City was a guest of Obika.
Photos by Coralie Grassin, Tea Time in Wonderland
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