Fulham is in need of some destination restaurants and Rigo has filled the gap in this area’s culinary offering. This small and smart new restaurant is found on the quieter end of the New King’s Road and is certainly not showy from the exterior, but inside chef Gonzalo Luzarraga’s menu is surprising and thrilling in equal measure.
When we arrived for our early evening meal the restaurant was empty and we had the staff’s attention all to ourselves. The staff are eager to please and are obviously proud of this new eatery as they speak passionately about the food and wine on offer.
In the evening the menus are made up of smaller taster dishes, there is the choice of the Signature £78 pp Tasting menu or the A la carte where you can choose 5 courses for £56 pp. For a lighter meal visit Rigo at lunchtime when they offer 2 or 3 course menu for £22 / £28.
Our meal began with a collection of snacks, each beautifully assembled and the perfect bite-size. Simply named Rose, Mortadella and Tripe I wasn’t sure what to expect… each bite was exquisite, tiny collections of unusual ingredients cooked and presented perfectly. I was quite proud of myself for enjoying the tripe so much, a crunchy crisped up canape topped with homemade aioli. Soon after our snacks came the freshly made sourdough bread and anchovy butter.
Rigo is loosely speaking an Italian restaurant, although Gonzalo draws on many influences from his experiences round the world and I soon forgot about the Italian theme. One of the my favourite courses was one of the simplest, a vibrant tomato tart with verbena extract. It was a fresh and fruity taste of summer.
Other memorable courses included an outstanding beef tartare with truffle which was delicately prepared but delivered a massive punch of flavour, and 7 year aged riso Acquerello with black garlic and lardo which was a comforting and luxuriously rich dish.
For dessert we tried the porcini mushroom creme brulee with caramelised popcorn and black sesame. It took a few mouthfuls to adjust to the savoury-sweet flavour but the combination of textures and tastes worked. Our fresh mint tea was accompanied by decadent chocolate truffles.
Rigo is an exciting new addition to the Fulham dining scene. Foodies will enjoy an evening here with chef Gonzalo treating you to his finest inventions. But those who can’t manage a 7-course dinner should visit at lunchtime when you can sample the brilliant food for a snip of the price.
More information and book a table at Rigo here.