The Valtaro Snack Bar, Marchmont Street, Bloomsbury, WC1
A snug breakfast/pasta bar in the heart of Bloomsbury. This place really is lovely.
The Valtaro interior has a characteristic communal feel - a small room with no tables, just a marble-effect bench around the walls and leather topped stools. Brown tiles and wood panelling give the essence of a cabin. The warming and hearty nature of the setting is matched by the food dished up, expect square meals from England (all day breakfast, beans on toast) or Italy (carbonara, salads, etc).
I visited today on a serene Sunday afternoon. Digging into a large plate of funghi pasta (fusilli served with mushroom and garlic sauce - £3.50), I sat amongst a cross-section of the Bloomsbury community. Gossiping students from the halls of residence next door, a young Oriental man wolfing down a portion of bacon and chips, and a blind man reading braille and drinking tea. Meanwhile locals darted in and out for takeaway sandwiches; behind the counter the two staff chattered in Italian over the sound of sizzling pans and Four Tops and Olly Murs on the radio. The food is good, homemade, unspectacular and nourishing.
On the street outside, the launderette is doing brisk Sunday business and old and young men sit patiently outside the Lord Russell pub as if waiting for an announcement. This central London enclave drifts along gently today. Inside the snack bar, customers and staff exchange news as food is served up, and there is a feeling that the popular Valtaro serves as a hub of the neighbourhood.
A snug breakfast/pasta bar in the heart of Bloomsbury. This place really is lovely.
The Valtaro interior has a characteristic communal feel - a small room with no tables, just a marble-effect bench around the walls and leather topped stools. Brown tiles and wood panelling give the essence of a cabin. The warming and hearty nature of the setting is matched by the food dished up, expect square meals from England (all day breakfast, beans on toast) or Italy (carbonara, salads, etc).
I visited today on a serene Sunday afternoon. Digging into a large plate of funghi pasta (fusilli served with mushroom and garlic sauce - £3.50), I sat amongst a cross-section of the Bloomsbury community. Gossiping students from the halls of residence next door, a young Oriental man wolfing down a portion of bacon and chips, and a blind man reading braille and drinking tea. Meanwhile locals darted in and out for takeaway sandwiches; behind the counter the two staff chattered in Italian over the sound of sizzling pans and Four Tops and Olly Murs on the radio. The food is good, homemade, unspectacular and nourishing.
On the street outside, the launderette is doing brisk Sunday business and old and young men sit patiently outside the Lord Russell pub as if waiting for an announcement. This central London enclave drifts along gently today. Inside the snack bar, customers and staff exchange news as food is served up, and there is a feeling that the popular Valtaro serves as a hub of the neighbourhood.
No comments:
Post a Comment