It was a beautiful spring morning as I headed to Kensington, West London, to review a bottomless brunch at the Italian restaurant ‘Enoteca Rosso’. Brunches have increased in popularity amongst my generation, with young millennial’s seeking out the most instagrammable restaurants that serve up the prettiest of plates. Going out to brunch has become an event in its own right, with many venues around London hosting themed brunches such as Bollywood, West End specials, Great Gatsby themed brunches, and many more. Rosso is an upmarket restaurant, steering away from the gimmicks, and offering a classy, sophisticated Italian style menu.
THE INTERIOR
Upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised at how authentic, traditional, and well, ‘Italian’ the place looked. The interior décor was predominantly wooden, with rows of inbuilt wine bottle holders, and an elongated bar that took up most of the ground floor. There were a small set of steps around the side of the bar, which led to a platform of tables and booths, for those dining from the menu. Taking its place in the centre of the ground floor, was a large wooden bench, playing host to a variety of Italian dishes.
We were informed by the waiters that our Italian Brunch was to be split into two parts; the first being the unlimited cold buffet, and the second; a dish from the main menu.
THE STARTER
The buffet starter is something I have never witnessed before at a brunch, and it is an idea I loved. The buffet was an explosion of Italian heaven which included cured meats, prosciutto, focaccia, cheeses, grilled veg, fresh breads, salads, freshly chopped tomatoes, and bocconcini cheese. You could have filled yourself up on the buffet alone!
My only criticism is that I think the waiters should have taken our order before we visited the buffet, as we ended up waiting a very long time for our mains. It would have made a lot more sense for us to have ordered, and then helped ourselves to the Italian starters whilst our brunch was being cooked.
THE MAINS
I have mixed feelings about the mains. I had ordered poached eggs, avocado, bacon and spinach, which I expected to be presented on a piece of toast or some sourdough bread. Maybe this was my mistake, but it arrived in a small pot and appeared underwhelming. The spinach was overcooked and wilted, and had a very slimy texture. As for the bacon…. there were two strips of “fat”. My friend ordered a similar dish and was equally unimpressed. I ended up picking up some bread at the buffet and creating my own ‘poached eggs and avocado on toast” which ended up being really nice (although I did have to make it myself). Despite my negative opinions on my individual main, those at the table who ordered the Italian style dishes such as Carbonara, Bolognaise, and Sausage Crumble had nothing but praise. They all seemed to thoroughly enjoy their mains, making me envious I didn’t go for one of the other options.
OVERALL
My experience at Rosso has led me to believe that it is more of a ‘lunch’ place. If you are looking for a traditional brunch, then I would not recommend visiting Rosso. There are so many amazing brunch places in London to visit instead, and personally, I enjoy a brunch with a bit of a theme. If you are however looking for a nice Italian lunch, then I would recommend visiting Rosso. The cold Italian buffet is a great touch, with lots of variety for those with certain requirements, and the Italian style dishes proved very popular with my fellow diners! Thank you to LovePopUpsLondon for inviting me.
For more info on Rosso and to book, please see their website: Enoteca Rossa
Disclaimer*
I received a complimentary brunch in exchange for a review. Views are my own.