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Located just a five-minute walk from Goodge Street station in Fitzrovia, Motorino occupies a ground-floor space within a modern new development. There is a pleasant outdoor terrace area, while inside the restaurant has a contemporary feel with subtle 1960s influences. The bar sits to the left, featuring a large vintage car photograph and green wall panelling, while the right-hand side displays an impressive wine selection. Beyond this is a spacious dining room with booths and tables, alongside two private dining spaces – one larger room and a smaller, more intimate space that resembles a 1960s office with wood panelling. At the rear, diners can see into the open kitchen through a large viewing window.
The waiting staff were young, friendly and welcoming, although service noticeably declined towards the end of the evening. After our main courses, it took quite some time before anyone approached us regarding desserts. The sequencing of dishes was also frustratingly poor, with some main courses arriving before all of the starters had been served. It felt as though dishes were sent out according to the kitchen’s convenience rather than any logical progression for the table.
Drinks
Olive Negroni – Mangum olive gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. A very good cocktail with well-balanced flavours.
Fig Margarita – Disappointing. There was virtually no fig flavour, making the name rather pointless. It tasted like a standard margarita and would have been better presented as such.
Food
Wildfarmed Focaccia, Rosemary & Sicilian Olive Oil(£6)
A good start. Crispy focaccia with a nicely toasted top, served with pesto and olive oil.
Pickles, Chilli & Yoghurt (£6)
A poor dish. Essentially pickled vegetables that felt as though they had come straight from a jar, accompanied by yoghurt. Lacked any real interest and represented poor value for money.
Chopped Dexter, Fermented Green Chilli, Porcini Ketchup & Shoestring Fries(£18)
The beef was overly gamey and cut into pieces that were too large. A below-par dish.
Bluefin Tuna Carpaccio, Corno Peppers, Capers, Coriander & Sudachi(£24)
One of the highlights of the meal. Beautifully presented with a vibrant salsa featuring coriander and capers. Fresh, balanced and full of flavour.
Sea Bream Crudo, Isle of Wight Tomatoes, Melon & Green Chilli(£16)
Another standout dish. The combination of tomatoes, melon and delicate sea bream worked very well, creating a fresh and enjoyable plate.
Spring Tomato Tart, Ricotta, Basil Pesto & Brassica Sauce(£24)
Disappointing. Largely tasteless and significantly overpriced for what amounted to a small slice of tart.
Suffolk Lamb Rack, Bagna Cauda, White Asparagus, Mint & Kombu(£60!)
Four small pieces of lamb that felt poor value for the price charged. Slightly gamey, under-seasoned and generally underwhelming.
Chicken on Toast, Galician Chicken, Garlic & Wildfarmed Sourdough(£29)
The chicken was a little dry and the toast had become soggy underneath. Another dish that failed to justify its price point.
Beef Fat Fries
Excellent. Arguably the best side dish of the evening.
Desserts
Irish Whiskey Tiramisu(£10!)
A very disappointing dessert. Mostly whipped cream with very little sponge base, leaving the dish completely unbalanced.
64% Mayan Red Chocolate, Coffee, Rum & Raisin
Reasonably enjoyable. Thankfully the raisin flavour was restrained and did not overpower the chocolate.
Overall
Motorino is an attractive restaurant with a stylish dining room, but the food is frustratingly inconsistent. While the tuna carpaccio, sea bream crudo, beef fat fries and Olive Negroni were all very good, too many dishes were either under-seasoned, poorly executed or simply overpriced for what was delivered.
Combined with erratic service and poor sequencing from the kitchen, the overall experience failed to justify the cost. The starters generally outperformed the mains, which were average at best.
