Assunta Madre (Mayfair)

• Certainly the restaurant in Rome has impressive turnover and is difficult to book
• The restaurant is named after the fishing boat of the owner
• A low ceilinged room with prints on the walls
• As you enter there is a large lobster tank on the left
• Tuna tartare came with good quality Orsini olive oil and served on a bed of mash
• Tagliolini with mixed shellfish including langoustine and prawn was good
• Better still was trofie pasta (a short
• Twisted pasta from Genoa) with sea bass and lemon
• John Dory with cherry tomatoes and olive oil was properly cooked but lacked seasoning (still easily 13/20 due to the good fish)
• The prawns were good and the turbot in particular was excellent (a strong 14/20)
• Are not made in house but are bought in from a supplier in Italy
• Apple cake was rather ordinary
• Lacking enough acidity (barely 12/20) but a chocolate cake that resembled a Black Forest gateau was surprisingly good (14/20)
• Ice cream that was made on the premises was the best thing
• A genuinely classy hazelnut ice cream with lovely flavour and texture (16/20)
• Several tables were turned and when we departed
• Elegantly dressed and in many cases with small children
• All of whom were impeccably behaved
• It would be better still if they made more effort with their desserts
• This restaurant is not the first of the food chain
• Wouldn't recommend unless you are fond of really expensive fish

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