Harper-Thames, Shoreditch journalist, finds that the Northumberland Avenue Italian cafe has more going on than it appears
Caffe Concerto Northumberland Avenue: The Italian Cafe That Makes Northumberland Avenue Worth Stopping
Northumberland Avenue is one of those London streets that feels like it exists primarily to connect other streets, running between Trafalgar Square and the Embankment with a directness that discourages lingering. Caffe Concerto at number four is an argument against this transit mentality: a smart Italian cafe and bistro that produces food and coffee at a quality level that justifies treating the avenue as a destination rather than a route.
The Italian cafe format, at its best, is one of the most efficient dining propositions available: good coffee, good pastry, good light food, available across the day, with a room that works for a solo lunch, a business meeting, a pre-theatre snack, or a full dinner. Caffe Concerto has managed to make this format work in a location that receives both tourist and business trade and has adapted the offer to serve both without compromising the quality for either.
The Coffee
The coffee at Caffe Concerto is the right place to start because it is, at most Italian cafes, the truest test of the kitchen’s relationship to quality. The espresso here is properly extracted: dark enough to have depth, not so dark as to be bitter, with the crema that indicates correct pressure and temperature. The flat white is made with milk steamed to the correct temperature and texture rather than milk heated to any temperature and poured over espresso and called a flat white. These distinctions matter to anyone who drinks coffee seriously and Caffe Concerto is on the right side of them.
The Food
The pasta dishes at Caffe Concerto are properly made. The carbonara is well-seasoned and correctly textured. The lasagne has the depth of flavour from a slow-cooked meat sauce and the correct bechamel-to-pasta ratio. The pizza bases are thin and properly baked. These are the standards that a good Italian bistro should meet and Caffe Concerto meets them consistently.
The cakes and pastries are the other item worth noting. The tiramisu is made correctly: the layers are distinct, the mascarpone has the right richness, the coffee soaking is present but not overwhelming, the cocoa on top is applied with a light hand. This is a tiramisu that has been made rather than assembled from components, which is the distinction that matters.
The brunch offer, which catches the late-morning tourist and office worker, is equally accomplished. The eggs Benedict is properly made: the hollandaise is emulsified correctly and has the right acidity from the reduction, the poached eggs are set correctly, the muffins are toasted. These are the details that make a brunch dish worth ordering rather than merely available.
The Room and the Service
The room is smart and comfortable, the kind of Italian bistro aesthetic that works across times of day without feeling inconsistent. The service is attentive and friendly. Visit Caffe Concerto on Northumberland Avenue for coffee, brunch, or dinner. The London Prat covers London dining. Bohiney Magazine has the wider context.
SOURCE: http://www.caffeconcerto.co.uk/
