It’s quite rare for me to know much about the chef of the restaurant I’m visiting in London and the number of non-UK chefs I know can be counted on one finger (well, maybe two). So, discovering that the big boss had booked a table in a restaurant that I’d actually heard of one of the chef’s, whilst I was on a work trip to New Jersey, was pretty amazing.

I didn’t actually remember where I’d heard of Mario Batali, but had some recollection of reading an article saying he was a beast of a man that could eat like a horse and frequently did so (something like that, anyway). All I knew was that he sounded like my kind of chef!

Walking into Del Posto, I felt as though I’d been transported back 80 years, into a fancy, Art Deco, piano bar. The place is huge and the two storey high ceilings are really quite impressive.

After an appetizer of cured meats and cheese, I got stuck into the Lobster Salad Fra Diavola with broccoli rabe & dried orange. Rather serendipitously, the Diavola lived up to it’s name with the level of spice. I loved the heat and the slightly bitter rabe (sort of like winter greens) went well with the sweet lobster flesh, but wasn’t entirely convinced with it being served cold.

Next up was the Lamb Neck Sausage with Orrechiette, which was one of those dishes that reminded me how good pasta should taste. Just the pasta on it’s own was a joy, but the peppery sausage and unbelievably light cubes of pumpkin made it sublime.

A Wild Mushroom Risotto followed the pasta dish and it managed to maintain the level of quality presented in the previous course, being an umami packed delight. 

For the mains (or Secondi), we were given an option of either the Striped Sea Bass or Pork Loin. Despite having already eaten three courses (that weren’t small portions), I eschewed most of my colleagues choice of the lighter, fish, option and went full steam ahead for the Pork. The Pork Loin was a dish in keeping with the reputation of Batali (or my limited knowledge of it & him, anyway) and was a very well sized portion, but suprisingly moist. The sweet pea ragu on the side was fine, although the testa tortino (pig cheek, I think) gave a more concentrated, fatty, porkiness which was a lovely taste to switch to after the moist but lean, loin.

At this point, I have to admit, I don’t actually recall if I had dessert or not (this being several weeks after I went), which was probably mostly to do with jet lag (and not the 5 glasses of wine I’d already had).

I really liked the atmosphere here, and even a guy playing the piano later on didn’t shmaltz things up at all. The room is very impressive and the service everything you’d expect a Michelin starred restaurant to be (which this is, by the way. A point I hadn’t realised at the time). The food was excellent and some of the best Italian dishes I’ve eaten. Not having picked up the bill, I can’t comment too much on the value, but around $125 a head is probably in the right ballpark. Even on that basis, I would definitely go back, if I got the opportunity, that is.