Gino D’Acampo’s Luciano restaurant launches spring menu

Luciano, an authentic Italian eatery by celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo- famous for ITV’s This Morning show, has an alfresco terrace for the summer while launching a new seasonal food menu and a range of Aperitivi cocktails to add to the delight.

With fresh interiors, the restaurant’s vibe gave us the impression of being on a beach holiday in the middle of a bustling city. It fills you with a sense of calm and comfort, while being elegant and sophisticated.

The restaurant in the heart of West End has a calming yet lively ambience (Image: Luciano by Gino D'Acampo)As we entered, we were impressed by the venue’s hospitality as the staff appeared to go above and beyond to help you have the best experience. Next came the drinks menu that echoed the free-spirited feel of the restaurant.

A mocktail named ‘If My Grandmother Had Wheels’, that pays an ode to Chef Gino’s iconic sarcastic moment on This Morning show from 2010, immediately caught my attention.

Lost in Liguria cocktail and If My Grandmother Had Wheels mocktail served at the venue (Image: Riddhi Kachhela)

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It was a refreshing mix of raspberries, pink gapefruit, watermelon and lime- the kind of drink you would want to sip on while sitting on a deckchair by the seaside.

My friend got one of the season’s premium cocktails- Lost in Liguria- made of Absolut citron vodka, Tosolini Limoncello, Hotel Starlino Elderflower, yuzu and aromatic bitters- which was sweet and citrusy with a sharp edge.

Elated by our choice of first drinks, it was time to try some of the enticing dishes that Chef Gino says reflect the “soul and character of Italy’s many different regions” and are dedicated to his late father who always said to him “stop dreaming and get on with it”.

The Burrata was soft and creamy with the tomatoes adding a delightful tang (Image: Riddhi Kachhela)Their classic Burrata dish- that was really creamy and soft- was elated by the tang from the tomatoes. It was the perfect start to our meal.

The vegetarian pasta, sprinkled with cheese, was one of the best I have tried as it was just the right amount of saucy and spicy. The texture was so light, it filled my appetite while not making me feel too stuffed.

The cheese-sprinkled authentic Italian pasta was light and flavourful (Image: Riddhi Kachhela)The highlight of our meal, however, was their Yellofin Tuna dish that was perfectly cooked and not at all dry. Its peppery coating on the edge of the steak created a slightly fiery flavour. Served on a bed of tomatoes, olives and beans, it was rich and savoury.

The Yellowfin Tuna dish was rich and savoury (Image: Riddhi Kachhela)

To end our visit on a high note, the Tiramisu was our go-to desert option. You cannot go wrong with a Tiramisu they say, and the one at Luciano more than lived up to our expectations. It was airy, not too sugary, with its coffee powder on the top blending so deliciously with the sponge and cream.

The Tiramisu was light and had a good balance of sweet and slight bitterness of the coffee (Image: Luciano by Gino D'Acampo)We paired it with a final drink quirkily named ‘Catch Flights Not Feeling’, the ingredients for which included discarded banana peel rum, Havana Club 7year rum, cinnamon and lime.

Their new spring and summer menu additionally has star dishes like fresh filled pasta with wild red Sicilian prawns, the all-time favourite Arancine al Ragu and a selection of Naples-style pizza.

Arancine al Ragu added to their Spring and Summer menu (Image: Luciano by Gino D'Acampo)Next to our table, a couple celebrating a birthday exemplified the restaurant’s ambience for me. It’s a venue I would go to on special occasions to taste the extravagant culinary wisdom of an ace chef and bite into a slice of Italy’s finest dishes.