Chianti (Italian) – West Ealing, London

THIS PLACE HAS SINCE CLOSED DOWN!

Not many Italian restaurants run by a Muslim that cater for Halal in west London

That’s right; West Ealing in west London boasts an Italian restaurant that’s Muslim-owned and caters for Halal.

Situated next door to a restaurant we recently reviewed, namely the Indian curry house Haweli which we rated 3.5/5, Chianti too is located on Uxbridge Road.

Having recently gone through some interior renovation, this 60-cover eatery, which has been redused to 40 during the pandemic, offers Halal chicken dishes along with a solitary beef Spaghetti Bolognese.

They love their gold!

While golden brown hues are the preferred colour of choice for the inside’s decorative theme, the place itself is a strangely odd one, with golden pillars and coving, as well as a golden throne-chair placed by the entrance.

With a name like Chianti juxtaposed with the byline ‘Pizza & Italian Bar Restaurant’, there is an alcohol bar therein.

Thankfully, it’s found closer to the front of the premises, with plenty of distant seating located comfortably towards the back.

Sex on the Beach; Mojito; Cosmopolitan – £3.50 each.

Mojitos tend to be a good benchmark for determining the quality of a mocktail menu given their ubiquity. This one lacked balance by erring on the minty side, with a sharp almost bitter aftertaste.

Although Cranberry was the main component of the Cosmopolitan, we were hoping for something more, such as a second flavour profile.

As for the oddly-named Sex on the Beach, then it wasn’t anywhere near as saucy as the nomenclature might suggest, turning out to be a lacklusterly meek citrusy beverage.

2. Calamari Fritti (10pcs) – Deep fried squid, £6.95

We can understand why their Calamari Fritti is a favourite with customers. With just that right texture (you know the one; bordering in between the chewy and rubbery), these were coated in a nicely seasoned, crispy batter; and came with a side of salad and a light creamy dip.

4. Parmigiana Di Melanzane – Typical ‘Nonna’ dish with aubergines and mozzarella in tomato sauce, £6.95

We’re guessing that this rustic looking baking dish is by design, and meant to add, in someway, to the nostalgia of what is a “typical ‘Nonna’ (grandmother) dish”.

Whatever the case, it was comforting nature of the cheese and tomato in this aubergine-oriented bake which stood out. Pleasant without being anything spectacular.

7. Gamberi Chianti – Fresh prawns with garlic, breadcrumbs, chilli, parsley and prosecco lemon juice, £8.95

Firstly, be sure to ask for the removal of the alcoholic prosecco when ordering. What you’ll then be served with is delicious finger food, and one we’d recommend if you enjoy your prawns whole.

Fresh crustaceans tossed in plenty of finger-licking garlic and parsley tomato sauce. What more could you ask for? Addictive to the max!

15. Tricolore (v) – Tomato, basil, baby mozzarella, oregano and avocado, £9.95

Despite the curiously absent avocado, this Tricolore is a straightforward, healthy option that typically consists of fresh tomato slices, fresh chunks of meaty mozzarella, with basil and oregano. It’s a decent starter; but at £9.95, far better options do exist.

25. Pizza Kiev (12″) – Tomato, cheese, chicken and garlic, £9.95

This 12 inch, hand-rolled, thin crust Pizza Kiev was freshly made and good value for money at less than a tenner.

Alas, the cheese, which we suspect was cheddar, wasn’t just plentiful, but oily too, resulting in sloppy mouthfuls. A pity really, since it tasted okay, with a tasty crusty perimeter.

36. Spaghetti Bolognese – Tomato, minced beef and herb sauce, £10.95

Yup; lots of herbaceous tomato, plenty of finely textured mince, and perfectly executed pasta, all of which amounts to everyone’s favourite – Spaghetti Bolognese!

38. Pasta Bellini – Pasta cooked with mushrooms, chicken and cream sauce, £10.95

Morish comfort food, with dreamily succulent pieces of chicken enveloped in a soothingly rich and creamy mushroom sauce.

It was finished with shavings of parmesan (vegetarian we were told), which added a salty piquant edge to every mouthful. Scrumptious!

43. Pollo Alla Crema – Chicken in a sauce of onions, peppers, mushrooms and cream, £12.95

This Pollo Alla Crema was ultimately defined by a deeply flavoured, buttery mushroom sauce, all generously poured over the top of another beautifully cooked fillet of chicken.

52. Linguine Allo Scoglio – Sea food pasta dish with king prawn, tiger prawns, clams, mussels and calamari, £15.95

We all practically dived into the deep end of this large plate of Linguine Allo Scoglio. Comprising of an attractive assortment of sea food goodies, all tossed in plenty of creamy linguine pasta, we feverishly worked our way through king and tiger prawns, clams, mussels and calamari, before dropping our cutlery and declaring this one of the dishes of the review. A sea food lovers’ best friend really.

French Fries, £2.95

Your standard fries cooked in oil hot enough to ensure that these were served ultra crispy, and nice and fluffy on the inside. Nothing more to be said really.

Profiteroles, £5.50

For premade desserts, these large profiteroles were, to our collective surprise, pretty darn good, containing as they did oodles of not ordinary cream, but chocolate mascarpone.

The trio of soft and spongy parcels were finished off with more than a geneous dusting of cocoa.

Panna Cotta, £5.50

Breakfast Tea, £1.95

An incredibly well executed Panna Cotta, which passed the wobble test with flying colours (check out the video above for a demo).

Boasting a velvety-creamy texture, this also had just the right level of sweetness to perfectly contrast against the sharpness of the tart raspberry marmalade topping.

Finished again with a heavy-handed dusting of the cocoa powder, this pud was a winner in every Panna Cotta respect.

And, of course, both desserts deserved to be paired with a hot drink, which in this case amounted to a nicely brewed Breakfast Tea.