Al Boccon di’vino (a mouthful of wine) is a simply marvellous dining experience. Located in Richmond, this hole in the wall Italian restaurant puts on a Sunday lunch spread like no other. I was thankful for dining with a native Italian as it was truly transporting and I could imagine being tucked away in a little Italian village somewhere in the countryside.
Lunch is served in one sitting at 1pm. The restaurant is utterly full and it has such a buzzing atmosphere; the diner’s excitement is palpable. There is no menu, which I find refreshing. It would be a nightmare for a fussy eater or someone with a bunch of dietary requirements, but to a real foodie, it is utopia. The courses arrive at a leisurely pace for the next four and a half hours, trust me, you’ll need all of this time if you’re even going to attempt finishing it all. Antipasto, seafood, pasta, and by the time you’ve had about six courses and think, oh surely dessert is next, the room’s din befalls to a hallowed hush as a suckling pig is paraded and presented; smacking my forehead with disdain – “duh, the main course!”. Although I’m small, I can thankfully put it away, and lavish the succulent hunks of piggy flesh, served with a simple roast potato.
These scallops, elegant in their buttery simplicity, remind you of what good food is actually about: no pretension and topnotch produce.
The pasta dishes were all outstanding. Sliky texture of freshly made ravioli with truffle notes.
Uncomplicated and just enough to finish, a dessert of berries an marscapone, washed down with some limoncello.
There is lots of wine available, and the house white is zesty and fresh and works well with the amount of food one has to plough through.
I absolutely loved this restaurant and feel it is somewhat of a hidden treasure. None of my lovely London set (whose knowledge of the dining scene is rather good) had heard of Al Boccon di’vino. It is definitely the venue to gather a posse of foodies and enjoy a decadent, delightful, lengthy, luxuriating Italian feast. Bravo!
