Tempo

54 Curzon St, London

Just a few weeks since opening and the mood at this new Mayfair eatery is very up-tempo indeed. Drinkers chatter over plates of cicchetti (small snacks) in the elegant rococo panelled bar while diners tumble in from Curzon Street to the relaxed dining room. Latest project of former hotelier Henry Togna, Tempo’s USP is that a Japanese chef cooks the Italian menu. With stints in some of Italy’s top kitchens and clearly inspired by the popularity of the bacaro-style Bocca di Lupo and Polpo in London’s Soho, Yoshi Yamada has created an approachable, good value and appealing menu where sharing is very much encouraged. Perfectly crisp calamari and whitebait, oozing burrata Pugliese with tender baby artichokes and swordfish carpaccio, cut through with citrus segments and slivers of fennel, preceded plates of the lightest gnocchi known to man. The cottonwool-like nuggets were enrobed in a rich tomato sauce, but the tagliolini with Cornish crab was unfortunately overwhelmed with dill. Sea bream with sweet and piquant caponata and crunchy courgette tempura capped off a convivial feast. Special mention should go to the pastry chef, also Japanese, whose terrific breads and delicate lemon tart reveal a deftness of touch.