Heading to Borough Yards for a peachy aperitivo and bean-filled ravioli is like nothing before
The hustle and bustle of Borough Market can easily sweep you up – bouncing from the old (the 17th-century George pub) to the new (hot spots Camille and TÓU).
But there are places aplenty to dive into and escape the busy market area – including Bancone, the latest SE1 spot for the fresh pasta restaurant and the chain’s third site, which opened its doors last summer.
Upon arriving, we wanted a peachy pick me up, and lucky their house aperitivo was there to offer a helping hand. The Aperitivo Bancone (£11) consists of Campari, verjus, peach, sparkling orange and topped with prosecco. It was a true taste of warmer days.
As we picked over the delicious-sounding menu, finding it hard to narrow it down, we knew their burrata, confit tomato, crouton and basil starter (£11.50) was a definite. The sharpness of confit tomato in contrast with creamy burrata is a combo I would choose on any menu, and Bancone’s didn’t disappoint.
The tomatoes literally popped with flavour and the croutons were soaked in an olive oil so silky, it added a truly decadent depth to kick off our Italian pasti.
Our second starter was lardo on toast with truffled honey (£8). I’d never tried lardo before, it’s the fatty layer attached to the pork rind, which is stored after salting or smoking. In this case, it was sliced and served like a salami. The sweetness of truffle honey paired with this salty lardo sat perfectly on the crunchy bread.
We were lucky to visit Bancone during wild garlic season, a short but tasty season in the produce calendar. So we obviously had to try the borlotti bean ravioli with chicken butter, porcini and wild garlic (£17) – and for a second plate, we chose their well-known spicy pork and nduja ragu with mafalde pasta (£14).
“Parmesan was the finishing touch needed before we halved two pastas, one delicate, the other packing a punch of spice”
“Can I offer you some parmesan,” asked our waiter holding a huge chunk of the cheese in one hand, grater in the other, before pilling high the salty parm, smothering our pasta dishes. I’m very much a “more cheese, the better” type of paster-eater, and it was the finishing touch needed before we halved these pastas, one delicate and smooth, the other packing a punch of spice and bite of al dente pasta ribbons.
The borlotti bean ravioli was like no pasta I’d tried before; inside a smooth and creamy consistency from the beans, and the parcels sat in a puddle of the chicken butter and the wild garlic sauce splattered on top – the dish was delicious due to its seasonality, and shows how fresh produce can elevate a dish through nature’s timings.
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The spicy pork and nduja ragu had such a deep flavour that you could get lost in for hours, with the delight of a tomato tang and a slow heat.
It was time for something sweet. And now, I’m not one for surprises, generally speaking, but if chocolate is involved, then it’s probably a safe bet. Bancone’s dessert titled “chocolate, mascarpone, lime” (£7) left us wondering what might possibly appear on the table. It was a decadently dark chocolate tart, mascarpone on the side, with the zest of the lime sprinkled over. Each flavour complemented the other for a taste sensation.
Plus, we snapped and shared one of Bancone’s praline cannolo with crystallised hazelnuts (£4.50) to finish, because what’s an Italian feast without this perfect pastry?
Arch 213, Stoney Street, SE1 9AD
Images by Milly Kenny-Rider and Jade Nina Sarkhel
