Its superb location and sweeping riverside views make this a top spot for summer evenings. But can the food match up to the views? Samantha Laurie checks out Wandsworth newcomer, View 94
I love a river view. I particularly love a river view when it involves a private jetty on the Thames on a gloriously sunny evening.
View 94 has one of the most extraordinary riverside locations in London. A handsome modern build directly on the banks of the Thames, where the river curls past Wandsworth Park, it has fabulous uninterrupted vistas from Wandsworth Bridge to Putney Bridge.
It’s a stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of Wandsworth central, but here there’s no traffic, no noise, barely any sign of life; just an occasional jogger pounding the uber-modern landscaped pathways of the brand new world that is Wandsworth Riverside.
Puglian-born chef, Antonio Sanzone (formerly Caffe Caldesi and semi finalist in last year's S.Pelligrino Young Chef of the Year) set up here in March. His aim is to deliver adventurous modern European cuisine in a bright, airy fine dining restaurant upstairs, whilst keeping a relaxed Italian Riviera-style charm downstairs in the lounge and jetty.
Upstairs it’s all about the view. The panoramic windows are the star turn; the furniture, cool and modern with crisp, white linen and lots of spacing between the tables. The food is quirky and inventive. Grilled sardines in tapenade, panzanella and tomato Gazpacho (£6.50) is a brave choice for my husband, who declares it delicious. I opt for mouli cannelloni filled with crab salad, with fresh melon, spring onion and chilli chiffonade (£8.50).
As a fish lover, this is heaven for me but should I go for coriander crushed baked hake with steamed yam taglioni and lemon verbena broth and grated bottarga of muggine (£18) or sashimi tuna loin, fregola and peas (£18.50)? I am swayed when the waiter tells me bottarga is salted, cured fish roe of grey mullet, a delicacy so revered it sells for £120 a kilo. It’s an excellent choice – the fish is perfect and the bottarga adds a frisson of a caviar lifestyle.
Seven starters and eight mains include guinea fowl ravioli, ‘bunny all the way with black olive jus’ and homemade smoked salmon. Chef Antonio tells us two of the most popular are beef tartare with parmesan crown (£8) and lobster risotto, shellfish cappuccino, spring onion puree, spicy tomato coulis and squid ink (£22), which my other half spends his evening wishing he’d ordered instead of his sirloin (which was good but not as exciting as some of the other dishes).
As for desserts, there are treats such as pistachio semifreddo and summer berries tarte. We choose 'cappuccino', an espresso cheese cake with coffee jelly fior di latte ice cream, Italian meringue and gluten free cantucci (£6.50) – an extraordinary combination of textures that has us revelling in its perfection much of the way home.
Many of the a la carte dishes are served downstairs in the bar in addition to some original bar food including a trio of mini burgers in three styles: Apulian, British and Caribbean (£13.50) and FishINchips with minted pea foam (£3 each).
Keen to draw passing trade from the swish luxury flats that surround it, View 94 opens for coffee and croissants from 8am, serving up a range of brunch dishes from fluffy pancakes to veggie breakfasts. It's hard to imagine a lovelier place to read the papers and enjoy a coffee on a sunny weekend morning.
Just four months old, the restaurant has yet to draw the regular crowds that will give it a Mediterranean buzz and ambience to match its look and location. But with such excellent food, it should only be a matter of time.
For menus and bookings see view94.com
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