Several years ago, I wrote a piece examining the (then) widely held thesis that fine dining was becoming a moribund feature of the UK’s culinary landscape. The arguments were not unconvincing: several high profile closures – including Claude Bosi’s Hibiscus in 2016 – combined with a general consensus that consumers preferred ‘casual dining,’ had led many to suggest that upmarket restaurants might not survive.
Yet the critics got it wrong. Moneyed foodies still crave high-class cooking; the precision, luxury ingredients, and flawless technique that transforms a meal into a Michelin-starred banquet. What they eschew, however, is stuffy formality and starched tablecloths – and staff come to think of it. They want super-fancy cooking without the whispering and anachronistic fuss. And Lita, the latest gastronomic temple to grace Marylebone, is happy to oblige.
Situated on Paddington Street (less than 10 minutes from the station by taxi), Lita is both a séductrice and a trompeuse (deceiver). The vibe, décor, and ambience suggests local neighbourhood bistro – the type of place you pop into after work if Waitrose is out of ciabatta and sun-blushed tomato. Indeed, southern Europe is full of such places and Lita takes (half) its name from the Spanish word Abuelita, an affectionate term for your grandmother. But, I don’t remember any tapas bar in Barcelona serving food of this quality – or price come to that.
Si señor: Lita is no ordinary ‘casual’ restaurant. It’s an ode to sophisticated cooking and the best produce money can buy, complete with a sizeable fire grill, designed to cook Cornish Turbot and steak to perfection. We sat at the chef’s table with a commanding view of the open plan kitchen and, if you turned around, the main dining area. They’ve clearly spent a vast amount of moolah: you glide over parquet flooring to the wooden bar (complete with dining stools), gazing upward towards the wood-panelled ceiling. There is not a tablecloth – or unhappy customer – in sight.
It’s quite understandable: who could argue with two glasses of delicious Leclerc Briant Rosé Champagne? Delivering a powerful shot of brioche, red fruit and acid, the fizz acquitted itself nicely alongside Bluefin tuna sashimi, served on a bed of corno peppers, coriander, and capers. The meltingly soft tuna, delicate in texture and subtle in flavour, had the grace and elegance of Darcey Bussell. I’m not usually a fan of tuna: too meaty and oily by far. But this was a whole other world.
Meanwhile, we devoured our Pan con Tomate with relish; except, it never tastes this good in the back streets of Bilbao. Is that sacrilegious? Maybe so, but you can’t fault the brilliance of this salty/umami treat, a simple tale of freshly chopped tomatoes piled high on oily bread, garnished with two Cantabrian anchovies.
So who is responsible for all this Mediterranean-inspired magic? It’s Luke Ahearne, a man with a résumé that includes Luca, Clove Club and, most recently, Corrigans. His thoughtful menu treads a fine line between the cerebral and hedonistic – food created with plenty of technical skill that refuses to become overwrought. It’s a mosaic of punchy flavours, time-honoured ingredients, and classy touches.
In truth, there probably isn’t sufficient space here to do our meal justice. That said, our fish dish was the undisputed highlight of the lunch – wild sea bass cooked over flame ignited memories of my favourite Spanish restaurant, the legendary Asador Etxebarri in the Basque Country. The fillet is lightly smoked and perfectly cooked, enhanced by a side order of new potatoes coated in butter. Before that, we enjoyed a bowl of Aylesbury duck ragu partnered with strozzapreti (small squidgy pasta) and finished with a sprinkling of parmigiano. The richness of flavour verged on the scandalous. Nom nom, and it’s all gone. The same could be said for the roasted quail with grilled duck hearts and slices of caramelised pear, all of which slipped down a treat with some pungent Pinot Noir.
The following morning, we caught a Eurostar to Paris before flagging a TGV for Toulouse. Enjoying the peace and tranquillity of the Languedoc for five days was a treat; however, only one meal came close to the gastronomic art being showcased in this corner of Marylebone. The French, and indeed Europeans in general, still like to snigger at our perceived lack of finesse and prowess in the kitchen. The remedy, therefore, is to invite them to dine at Lita next month. That will silence the naysayers for good.
Factbox
Address: 7-9 Paddington Street, London, W1U 5QH
Website: litamarylebone.com
