Optima Magazine

461 Uxbridge Road • Hatch End • HA5 4JS • 020 8421 4349

Reviewed by Jill Glenn

It’s the first impression that counts (in restaurants as in life…) – and so I was feeling positive about Black Pepper before I’d even reached my table. The ambience is cool and sophisticated. The room is long, and decorated in shades of cream and aubergine, black and brown – elegant and contemporary, without being too pretentious. A good vibe.

Black Pepper has been open around four years, so it’s a suitable time to assess how well it’s doing. It certainly seems popular (the last time I walked by, the place was bulging at the seams) – but do customers return simply out of habit, or because they’re finding something there that satisfies their needs?…

Service: excellent. First box ticked. The staff manage to tread that fine line between detachment and friendliness with great finesse. They were attentive to our needs without being obtrusive, and they have an easy charm.

Menu: essentially Italian, with an occasional quirky modern take – think Steamed Asparagus with Half-dried Tomatoes & Aioli Sauce, to start, for example, or Smoked Salmon with Avocado Citronette… nothing too way out, certainly, but with an undertone that distinguishes it from your average neighbourhood trattoria. There’s also an impressive choice for vegetarians.

Quality: the final frontier. How does the food actually taste (and is it worth the money?). Before our starters, we were presented with bread, olives and dipping oil. The bread was particularly good, very fresh and light, indicating a delicate hand in the kitchen. Sadly, that hand had been just too delicate with my Grilled Vegetables marinated in Garlic, Mint & Olive Oil, and the mint was barely in evidence; the vegetables had a pleasant texture, but as a whole, the dish was disappointingly bland. My partner’s Funghi Picante (pan-fried shitake, button & oyster mushrooms with garlic & chilli), by contrast, was full of flavour, especially with extra bread to soak up the juices.

My main course – Pan-fried Calf's Liver with mashed potatoes & white onion jam – was more successful. The liver was beautifully cooked, and the ‘jam’, although alarmingly sludgy to look at, added a marvellous piquancy. A side order of Broccoli with Garlic & Chilli gave another welcome kick to the flavour mix.

My guest’s Linguine alla Pescatora with Seafood, Tomato Sauce, Garlic, Chilli & Oregano was also a hit, with a generous portion of seafood, and well-balanced flavours. “I did enjoy that,” she observed.

Evidence suggests, then, that Black Pepper’s regulars are, indeed, creatures of habit: the habit of going to a good restaurant, with a well-designed menu, professional staff and food that – on the whole – satisfies their needs…

Starters: £4.65 to £6.85
Main courses: £8.95 to £21.95
Desserts: £5.45
House wine: £12.45