As someone who grew up in East London, finding a top-notch Italian restaurant (that’s NOT Frankie & Benny's, Pizza Express or Ask Italian) is hard to come by. So, I was recently surprised to learn that an authentic Italian restaurant, Trattoria Ibleo, was just situated outside Chingford Station and a stone’s throw away from Epping Forest.
Trattoria Ibleo advertises that they serve “Homemade Authentic Sicilian Food.” I’m naturally sceptical when a restaurant self-proclaims that their food is “authentic”, especially when its run by people who are not from that culture or haven’t grown up with foods from that culture. It’s a personal opinion, but having met the owner, Antonio, who is a proud Sicilian with local knowledge and experience in Italian cuisine, rest assured you’re in for a treat!
The menu is varied. There’s definitely something for everyone. They have a decent seafood offering as well as everything you would expect fan Italian to serve, from risotto to pasta to pizza. The chefs can also cook you gluten-free alternatives (subject to availability).
Trattoria Ibleo has an extensive drinks list. So, whether you want to try something classically Italian or stick to well-known favourites, there’s ample amount of choice.
I’m not a huge drinker and neither was my plus one but she opted for a sort of lemony (non-alcoholic) drink whilst I ordered a porn star martini – which is my favourite cocktail.
My drink was ok. I guess I’m comparing it to when I’ve had amazing porn star martinis on other occasions, particularly at Revolution Bar in Central London. On hind sight, I should have tried an Italian wine instead. I now know for next time!
For starters, I ordered calamari fritti (fried calamari) and my friend chose pane all’aglio (garlic bread).
One of the ways I test how good an Italian restaurant is how well they make their calamari. I’ve often been served rubbery and oily calamari but I was pleased with how fresh theirs tasted. There was no weird fishy aftertaste and the batter was light and crispy. It was served with a very vibrant, homemade tartar sauce that perfectly complimented the calamari. Safe to say I was impressed!
I had a piece of the garlic bread, which was slightly too crispy for my taste but my friend enjoyed it. Personally, I prefer softer breads. Nevertheless, it was certainly flavourful and it paired quite nicely with the remaining tartar sauce on my plate.
My plus one ordered Spaghetti Napoli. It’s a humble pasta dish made with garlic, parsley and chilli. Again, I tried a bit and it was nice. Personally, I would have liked more sauce.
I’m always keen to try homemade pizza at an Italian restaurant, as it’s not something I can make perfectly at home…at least not yet. I chose the Al Capone pizza, a spicy pepperoni Roman-style pizza that had a comfortable level of heat. It was beautifully cooked and you can taste how fresh the ingredients were – comfort food at its finest!
Also, although not necessarily a criticism, the portion sizes were very generous especially as we began the meal with starters which were also generously portioned. We wanted to save room for dessert so we asked the staff to pack what was left over. I would say the remaining portions were enough for a light lunch.
I always look forward to dessert and I was thrilled to see that they had a great selection of crowd pleasers like cheesecake and chocolate cake as well as classic Italian desserts such as tiramisu and gelato.
My friend and I, with our bellies pretty much full, agreed to share a
crostata di mele (apple tart). No disappointments there. It was served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. It had the perfect level of sweetness and it paired nicely with my cappuccino. A nice way to end the meal.
Service: The staff delivered a pleasant service – they were attentive and accommodating. The space between our courses was well timed and we didn’t feel rushed. It was a relaxed evening.
Food: The food was excellent and expertly prepared. I’m keen to try something else on my next visit. I just need to remember to skip lunch!
Atmosphere: It’s a quaint little restaurant that focuses on tradition. The whole concept of their restaurant décor is to give you a glimpse of Italy in a “friendly welcoming environment”. There’s no pretentiousness or standardised format that comes when dining in a chain or corporate-run restaurant. It’s just a humble spot where you can experience a glimpse of Italy.
Price: For the 2-course meal for two, plus a dessert and drinks (2 coffees plus 1 soft drink and 1 cocktail), the total came to about £47.80. It’s reasonable, especially as the portion sizes are generous and the food is of a high standard. For a three-course meal (minus the alcohol), I would budget around £25-£30 per head. In the City you’d be paying double that!
Trattoria Ibleo Restaurant is definitely worth a visit, and I’m looking for my next opportunity to dine there again. You can even make a day out of it by taking a walk in Epping Forest and working up an appetite, then heading down to Trattoria Ibleo for an Italian feast.
“At the Trattoria Ibleo you can enjoy classic Italian dishes that respect the recipes handed down from generation to generation. At the base of them there is a careful selection of high-quality raw materials that come directly from Italy.” – review from ExeccellenzeItaliane.com
To reserve a table at Trattoria Ibleo, click here.
