Sunday, January 1, 2023

Just what the doctor ordered

A review of Elistano, Chelsea

 

Lunch in the company of Rex Leyland, who co-founded The Restaurant Doctor with Pierre Koffman and Terence Martin, is always a pleasure as he is frankly one of the most passionate foodies I’ve ever encountered. We recently met, along with the former restaurateur Anthony Brown, at Elistano in Chelsea and a good time was had by all.

 

Elistano, 25-27 Elystan Street, London, SW3 3NT

Leyland is a character whom the Evening Standard once described as an “excitable bearded man.” He founded the Chelsea institution Foxtrot Oscar with Michael Proudlock and variously owned other restaurants including Jake’s in Hollywood Road and Busby’s. Now based between a gargantuan houseboat at Kew Bridge on the River Thames and a home in Spain, his insatiable enthusiasm for food, cars and planes is quite wonderful. You can follow him on Twitter @Rexthesex.

 

Elistano is itself a restaurant that I have known for some years as a good friend, Guy Mountford, worked there whilst he lived in the UK. He sadly suddenly had to return to South Africa after breaking up with a girlfriend and in the following period many changes have followed. As is often the case in the restaurant business, chefs and managers have come and gone at Elistano but now the venue seems to be back on track after a much needed facelift.

 

One of the problems at Elistano was that it was just too noisy. Owner Derek Taylor has successfully rectified this by installing sound reducers and this has somewhat solved the problem. The décor has also been updated considerably and my only criticism would be that the flooring remains stuck in 1972. In time, I am sure this will be replaced also.

 

To start, we shared a selection of small plates and salads. Mr Leyland was especially impressed with a Vitaminica salad (£12.95) that he described as “fabulous” but Mr Brown’s beef Carpaccio (£10.95) was unfortunately fridge cold. My choice of chorizo sausage in red wine sauce, however, was a little too fatty and somewhat disappointing.

 

I continued with a delicious chicken escalope with rocket and cherry tomatoes. At £12.50 this was great value for money and the chips (£3.95), surprisingly for an Italian restaurant, were exceptional.

 

Mr Brown opted for the 8oz rib eye steak with béarnaise sauce and a grilled tomato (£17.95). All meat at Elistano comes from the restaurant’s neighbour, Jago’s butchers, a terrific local business, but sadly on this occasion the cut was mostly fat. Himself living across the road from the restaurant, he did however comment that on previous visits this particular steak had generally been a most suitable choice.

 

We concluded with Elistano’s homemade tiramisu, as well as trifle (both at £5.95 each) and a cheese selection (£7.95). The tiramisu was perfectly executed but the trifle was somewhat lacking. As I see only too often, the cheese was served fridge cold. This is an error that would have resulted in a meltdown if a certain American I know had been present and it is a mistake that restaurants should take heed to ensure does not occur. White wine should be served from the coolest of fridges. Cheese should be at room temperature.

 

The wine list at Elistano understandably is mainly Italian in focus. A 2010 Pinot Grigio is pefectly quaffable and priced at £24 a bottle. Variety comes in the form of a list that ranges from a half-litre carafe of house wine priced at £11 to an £89.50 Montepulciano. The Vina Zaca Rioja (£29.95) we tried was also especially good.

 

Elistano is somewhere one can rely on for good simple cuisine at reasonable prices. Yes, it has faults but so do all restaurants. This is a neighbourhood restaurant that truly deserves a chance.

 

Elistano, 25-27 Elystan Street, London, SW3 3NT. Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7584 5248. Website: http://www.elistano.com

 

Follow Elistano on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/elistano

The Steeple Times
The Steeple Times
We research and background check our articles. If you believe we have made and error in some detail please get in touch, we seek always to write the truth and stand against a press owned by a self selected few. Please help us, we will accept all your likes, subscriptions and anonymous suport. The Editor and his team at the Steeple Times.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

£1 per week Supports The Steeple Times

Help journalism to remain honest & independent. You can make a difference to the world today.

3,091FansLike
2,068FollowersFollow
14,745FollowersFollow
4,962SubscribersSubscribe

Subscribe For DAILY NEWS

Please subscribe, like and share this unique site, it helps us tremendously. The Steeple Times in return will send you an email at noon each and everyday, that we sincerely hope you will enjoy & look forward to seeing in your inbox.

AD
Advertisement

Trending Now

Shock Horror (Not)! MPs Engaged in “Sex & Heavy Drinking” On Trips Abroad

That that ‘The Guardian’ is shocked by news that MPs – mostly Tories, it seems – “engaged in ‘sex and heavy drinking’ on trips abroad” is actually beyond bloody laughable.

Crypto Crook’s Big Short – Will Sam Bankman-Fried Story Be Turned Into Blockbuster?

Crypto crook Sam Bankman-Fried astonishingly gets to hang out with the author of ‘The Big Short’ in spite of being on £207 million bail and now has not only Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyer onside but also Prince Andrew’s judge to face also.

Five Unlikely Things Famous Footballers Did Next…

David Lennox shares the little-known stories of what five famous footballers did next after retiring their pitch time prowess – amongst them everything from novel writing to forensic detective work.

Most Popular Articles

Justice for James Scurlock

Power of social media proven after senseless killing of James Scurlock in Omaha, Nebraska allegedly by a controversial bar owner named Jake Gardner who has been photographed with Donald Trump.

Moron of the Moment – Prince Harry

With his marriage to the woman formerly known as Meghan Markle, Prince Harry has morphed into an utter bore   Prince Harry used to be a...

Scobie Orf!

‘MeGain’s’ bestie Omid Scobie deservedly gets slammed by ‘Yankee Wally’ Sadie Quinlan for getting her shut down on Twitter; this childish chap should now just ‘belt up, wrap up and shut up.’

A Massive Media Maelstrom – McCann, Mandelson and Maxwell

Matthew Steeples highlights how the ‘Mandelson Media Method’ is very much in play in both the case of the Prince Andrew-Jeffrey Epstein connection and the renewed interest in the Madeleine McCann disappearance.

The Phil & Matt Show

Phillip Schofield filmed smoking shisha with his alleged ex-lover Matt McGreevy (and pictured in bed thereafter); another image shows the pair together in photograph...

Plane Perverted

EXCLUSIVE – Previously unnamed 9-year-old child pictured on the lap of Jeffrey Epstein on his plane in ‘Daily Mail’ suggested to be daughter of billionaire Glenn Dubin.

Moron of the Moment 2021 – Richard Madeley

As the new Diana, Princess of Wales statue is mocked as looking like him, ‘Dorian Gray of Daytime Telly’ Richard Madeley pathetically claims he got PTSD due to worrying about his son’s wedding.

Most Liked...

Ampika Pickston

Ampika Pickston
Oldham born divorcee and former glamour model Ampika Pickston describes herself as “feisty, fun loving and warm hearted”. Now based in Hale Barns, Cheshire...

Picture of the Week: The Wallies of Whalley

Picture of the Week: A field at Whalley Arches, Lancashire before and after flooding
Image of flooded Lancashire field complete with sign advertising it as a development site for 39 homes illustrates the perils of building on flood...

Was Mucky Minx Meghan Markle A ‘Yacht Girl’ For ‘Randy Andy’?

Was Meghan Markle A ‘Yacht Girl’ For ‘Randy Andy’?
As author Kirby Sommers suggests that the then Meghan Markle likely spent time with Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein before she met Prince Harry, we again highlight the mucky, murkiness and mendacious manner of this alleged “yacht girl.”

Suggestions Please – Best & Worst of 2022; Heroes & Villians

Suggestions Please – Best & Worst of 2022; Heroes & Villians
‘The Steeple Times’ requests submissions of the best and worst people of 2022 along with suggestions of those who’ll be missed and who won’t.

Organic Vegetable Maxwell – Rotten-To-Her-Core Ghislaine Maxwell Moves Jail

Organic Vegetable Maxwell – Ghislaine Maxwell Moves Jail
As mucky madam Ghislaine Maxwell is moved to a low security prison in Florida where prisoners will supposedly likely “hate” her, PR peddler Jay Beecher’s ‘The Maxwell Files’ website bizarrely starts promoting organic vegetables in Sussex and lists stories about this anything but wholesome criminal as “recipes.”