Rovi Review | “A Fine Example of Ottolenghi’s Veg-Forward Cooking”

The menu puts veggies front and centre

Rovi in Fitzrovia is part of chef Yotam Ottolenghi line-up of restaurants and this should be clear from the veggie-centric menu that doesn’t skimp on taste or creativity.  If it’s not, then the walls of his cookbooks and products for sale are definitely a giveaway.

Although Rovi isn’t new—it opened in 2018—the interiors still feel fresh and modern. The menu, with its focus on fermented and wood-fired vegetables, is more relevant than ever in today’s climate-conscious world, where the desire to eat less meat continues to grow. Don’t worry thought, there are still meat dishes on the menu, and, in true Ottolenghi style, they are sourced from the best sustainable suppliers in the UK. 

Eat This

Given the focus on fermentation we’d suggest kicking things off with a pickle plate. The pickles change frequently, based on what vegetable ends are left over – hardly anything is wasted here, in line with the ‘root-to-tip’ approach. We also loved the pumpkin muhammara dip and the beef fatteh with pita chips, yoghurt and green tomato shatta.

The two highlights though were the celeriac shawarma – a thick chunk of roasted celeriac from Stein’s bio-dynamic farm in East Sussex sandwiched in a Wildfarmed pita with bkeila (a spinach sauce) and tangy fermented tomato – and the mushroom mixed grill, which was super meaty in its texture and flavour, and is served with pickles, flatbread and dips. 

Drink This

Following the fermentation and fire theme, many of the cocktails feature fruits that have been treated in one of those ways. The Pina y Pina is a great one to kick things of with: a spin on a margarita only done with coal-roasted pineapple, mezcal and tequila. If you’re keeping things dry the non-alcs are brilliant. The Plum Iced Tea and Hibiscus Agua Fresca were so refreshing we had a double round of them. There’s also a small, thoughtful wine list too with a good amount of low intervention options.

Why Go

The food isn’t cheap but you get what you pay for – the ingredients are top notch and even though it’s veggie the flavours are punchy. You might even convince a dedicated “meat with every meal” kinda guy that vegetables can be just as satisfying, making this spot a great place for flexitarians or a vegan-meat eating couple combo.

Key Information

Address | 59-65 Wells St, London W1A 3AE
For more information | ottolenghi.co.uk

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