Middle Park European is the latest venture by Tartine’s Matteo Bruno.
Following months of anticipation from Middle Park locals, restaurateur Matteo Bruno (Tartine, Ned’s Bake) has opened Middle Park European, an elevated diner and bar offering an Italian-leaning menu with French flourishes. Leading the (open) kitchen is British-born head chef Aaron Wrafter, who cut his teeth at the Michelin-starred, now-closed Turners, and Harborne Kitchen in Birmingham.
To start, caviar “dip” saves you having to splash out on a tin. A bed of creme fraiche is topped with Black River caviar, chives (and chive oil), and pickled shallot.
There will always be two kinds of house-made pasta – perhaps a fresh tagliatelle with Shark Bay crab and bisque, and ridged shell-like cavatelli with pork-and-fennel sausage. Mainstays include fish’n’chips and steak frites (porterhouse, say, with tarragon butter), while a specials board will introduce new dishes every couple of weeks.
As with the food, the wine list favours Italy and France, with a few big-ticket bottles from Barolo and Burgundy. Cocktails are largely driven by citrus and amari, including an Aperol-tinged spicy marg and salted-caramel espresso martini with Averna.
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