Daniel’s

Start with small plates of antipasti, then choose a fresh pasta to suit your mood. Daniel’s describes its antipasti as an “assaggini style” associated with southern Italy, where one small plate follows another. You can begin with 3 plate, or choose 5 if you’d like to linger over a few more. One diner who started lunch with the antipasti platter was surprised by the burdock in tomato sauce. Another chose an oil-based pasta with whitebait and courgette, and singled out the springy linguine and the fish’s gentle saltiness. It’s a meal that moves from antipasti to pasta, shifting the flavours along the way.

The pasta menu may appeal if you’d rather try several dishes than settle on just one. One diner reported ordering 4 varieties at dinner and particularly enjoying the carbonara. Another sampled carbonara, alla Norma, spaghettoni with guanciale and arrabbiata, appreciating the differences between them. Menu listings include carbonara with rich pancetta, tomato sauce with aubergine and ricotta, chunky beef Bolognese and blue crab in tomato cream sauce. The choices range from a simple tomato sauce to dishes with more distinctive ingredients. Go for a hearty sauce, or opt for something lighter, such as the whitebait oil pasta.

Lunch options range from a business lunch with salad, focaccia and the pasta of the day to a course that includes 5 kinds of antipasti, panna cotta, and coffee or tea. One diner praised a lunch of antipasti, springy pasta, bread and dessert as satisfying. Depending on your schedule and appetite, you can make pasta the focus or take your time over a meal that begins with antipasti.

In the evening, add a meat dish to antipasti and pasta for a more substantial meal. The menu lists duck confit with mustard and balsamic sauce, as well as Japanese pork spareribs. Bottled wine and aperitifs are also available, making the small plates a natural fit for a relaxed meal or a gathering over a set course.