Alba in Islington

Nos alojamos en El Alba Marble Arch Londres durante el fin de semana del 19 y 20 de diciembre.

Punto fermo per i lavorati di liverpool street per gli italiani a londra che vogliono salire di livello.

IT WAS SHUT <br />OPEN TABLE TOOK BOOKING AND IT WAS CLOSED

The restaurssny was closed <br />The restaurant was closed<br />The restaurant was closed

Really disappointed that after booking, we travelled to Barbican (not easy for us to get to) only to find that the place was closed. I then saw a review from someone over a week earlier saying it was closed so they&#039;ve had plenty of time to take it off OpenTable for now or not allow bookings. Such a waste of time and money to get there.

The restaurant was closed, but we were not informed until I arrived with my client and found a sign on the door.

Alba was closed &#039;due to flooding&#039;. It was exceptionally disappointing not to receive a phone call or an email to advise me of this. What is the point of supplying a phone number if it is not used in situations like this?

We took a group of 15 here. We pre-ordered in order to be more efficient and not stress out the small kitchen/restaurant. All enjoyed it thoroughly. The food, drinks, service, and atmosphere are all top notch. No complaints.

There can be no complaints about our luncheon. The meal is modest Italian but well cooked and well presented. On this particular warm and sunny day, there were few other guests which suited our situation and allowed a good unhampered lunchtime discussion. The fare and service deserves a more ample clientele though competing with the Golden Lane stalls further up the road will not encourage more casual lunchtime snackers. This is a proper restaurant.

A nice Italian near Barbican, great fish, good wine and seasonal food, would be good for lunch or dinner. My colleague has visited several times and said its consistently good.

The starters were basic and knocked up in about 30 seconds each. The mains were not up to the standard you&#039;d reasonably expect from the prices, and the quite smart look of the place. I&#039;ll not bother returning.

We went to the restaurant on a Saturday night and we were the only people there. The decor is fresh modern and attractive. The one member of staff(!) was welcoming friendly and efficient. The menu is well balanced and the wine list reasonable and reasonably priced. However the food was not good enough. A starter of asparagus with rocket and goats cheese had 4 spears a minute amount of cheese, virtually no rocket and far too much sweet balsamic. My partners haricots with pistachio was tasty. However it was swimming in dressing and bread was not served automatically. My main of pasta with salt marsh lamb ragu was woefully under seasoned and the sauce was milky and thin. The pasta itself was good and al dente. The side salad had a lovely mix of leaves but virtually no sprouting lentils and again the dressing was heavy handed and too sweet. My partners salmon was undercooked. When this was pointed out it was dealt with graciously and removed from the bill. The meal was a real disappointment which is a shame since in the past Alba had a good kitchen and we are badly underserved with quality Italian restaurants in Clerkenwell.

Alba was excellent as usual for our pre-concert dinner. We both ate off the fixed price menu and enjoyed the choices. Service was friendly and efficient as usual. A good choice in the area.

We visited for a early dinner after a couple of drinks and we were not disappointed. Great food deal with two courses under £20 and a decent bottle of wine.<br /><br />Starters were very good but the home made pasta and gnocchi were awesome. The sauces were rich and full of garlic and tomato.<br /><br />If you like traditional Italian food done well then this is the place.

The restaurant is cleanly presented and not too flashy, which is nice. The staff were attentive without being over powering and their recommendation for dessert wines was tip top. The food was extremely tasty and cooked to perfection. The hake was utterly delicious and teamed with ingredients that showed a culinary insightfulness. I would definitely revisit and this time book in more time to spend there.

a very helpful waitress allowed me to pre-order wine and a first course for 4 people to be on the table as we arrived straight from the theatre. It was very welcoming start to what went went on to be an excellent meal, delicious wine and prompt friendly and accommodating service. Just 2 minutes walk from the Barbican, and a much more authentic dining experience. very highly recommended.

Service was very slow, food tasted nice but was a little cold when it got to us and given we were one of three tables. nice enough but very quiet and there are definitely better places to go for an evening meal.

Tuvimos una comida muy agradable aquí hace unos años. No pudimos ir a uno de los Centro Barbican restaurantes (Filarmónica de Berlín de la ciudad! ), pagamos una segunda visita a Alba. Esta vez me decepcionó bastante. Muy bien hecha en casa Gravlax (no muy italiano!) pero pobre, pegajosa, bastante pesado Gnocchi y horrible Butternut risotto que mi esposa más (y ella había pedido una pequeña porción: consiguió un tamaño estándar). Tenían la buena voluntad para eliminar el risotto de la factura pero con un par de copas de vino, el proyecto de ley estaba aún más que la comida justificado. El servicio no está mal (pero sólo dos mesas ocupadas), aunque si que había estado en la otra mesa con la camarera parado detrás de mí, me podría haber pedido que se trasladara a otro lugar! No volvería.

Hice la reserva por Internet y 4 amigos y yo fuimos allí un sábado. Era muy tranquilo, a sólo unos dos otras mesas ocupadas pero supongo que porque está cerca de la ciudad que tiene más comercio durante la semana. Una camarera nos llevó nuestros abrigos, nos mostró nuestra mesa y llevamos nuestros pedidos. Había por lo menos otro miembro de mesas personal espera. La comida es italiano, y nos pareció todo muy sabroso y de buena calidad. El vino ha probado un fantástico y no soy un aficionado de vino. Habíamos planeado dos campos pero todos tuvimos tres, creo. El servicio era profesional y eficiente. Mis tres campos con una tercera parte de una botella de vino era 40 libras. Vale la pena, volvería a este restaurante, probablemente en un sábado, cuando es tranquilo.

excellent service, quality food and decent house red. Colour scheme of green and white was same as Waitrose across the road and trip advisor. Would definitely recommend.

Ownership has changed and the restaurant is less family Italian and more standard metropolitan. A bit less warm and a bit more formal. But its well located for the Barbican and the food is good and the service is professional.

The food and service were excellent however don&#039;t go here unless you are willing to spend a bit more money than expected. Bread was an extra charge.

Excellent food and service. <br />Would definitely eat here again pre show.<br />Only downside would be not as &#039;buzzing&#039; as some other pre show venues nearby but we ate quite early and didn&#039;t really bother us.

Teníamos un almuerzo de negocios para 4. El servicio fue excelente y la ubicación muy luminoso y bien ventilado, posiblemente las mesas podrían haber sido un poco más aparte.

Went here with colleagues, a good place for business lunches as relatively close to the office and the food is decent, but it was rather quiet which seems to suit the business type lunch.

Food was excellent. Service was good and we were able to get out in time to take the 5 minute walk to the Barbican. Will be back.

Four of us dined between shows at the Barbican. Very suitable for this being just a short walk away. Service was timely except that one order was wrong and my wife had to wait. Wine good at London prices. Loos down a long fkight of stairs. We plan to return and will make this our regular <br />Barbican eating place.

Had the sea bass which was delicious. Didn't opt for a starter, but instead had the bread and pesto. We could not really understand what the staff were saying however.

Food great, service fine, but lacked atmosphere, as there were only three others in the rather large restaurant!

Good food and service but decor now looking rather tired.

Went with a work group of 14 or so,which is never easy to cater for. The food was surprisingly poor for an established restaurant. My scallops were tiny, isolated and overlooked in an ungenerous starter. Main was a fish on the bone served with some uninspiring veg, it wasn't a huge sea monster and didn't come with potatoes or rice. It wasn't terrible, but it was pretty dry, I'd do a better job myself and I'm not a chef. I finished up a bit hungry. Fortunately dessert was great (a panettone bread and butter pud). Service was friendly and prompt and the room was nice, but the main event didn't do it, sadly.

An excellent find!Attentive, knowledgeable staff in a grown-up, classy environment. Cool greens and greys make this a very tranquil setting for a lovely meal.I ordered the cured meats to start with...it could have been a sharing platter or a main course, but delicious nonetheless.For a main course, steak; perfectly seasoned and crisp on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, perfectly cooked to my preference. And of course a delicious bottle of Malbec to pull everything together.It was very quiet when I visited, but it was late at night on a Tuesday, so i should imagine lunchtimes and early evenings would be very popular.For the quantity and quality of the food, and of course the location, this meal was great value for money. Highly recommended.

"A nice find - Enjoyable Italian food done well with excellent service. The restaurant is a bit on the small side and out of the way - but the food couldn't be faulted"

Quiet restaurant but outstanding food and service. Perfect for Barbican or Guildhall theatre/concert goers.

Alba is a long standing City restaurant. Too hidden away to have been establishment but a provider of very special Piemontese treats to those in the know. Sadly, whilst the name and interior remain, the &#039;special&#039; is all gone. What is their now is OK I feel that this corner of London has been deprived of a long standing and treasured friend.

This was my 2nd lunch at the Alba with my team... each time we were spoilt for choice with the food and wine.<br />Staff were friendly and service was impeccable as usual!!

We are locals who eat here regularly. It used to be one of our favourites. It&#039;s still good but not as good as it used to be.

Booked this last minute on Saturday after getting back late to the City. The place was quite for a Saturday night, the food and service were good but it lacked that buzz you get in a busy Italian place. Will go back and try it on a Friday night as that might be better.

I took a client to lunch here with another colleague, and it was great - lovely food, attentive, quick service, and great value.we had the 2 course set menu for GBP18.50 as we had only a limited window, and i had the rabbit and pork rillettes - DELICIOUS! - while the other two had the deep fried cod goujons - which i didn't taste, but they looked gooooood! for the main, i was so enthused by the rillettes (and the Chianti Classico Risirva Sangiovesi 2006...) that I accidentally started hooking into the main that my client had ordered - it was only halfway through that i realised! however, these things have a habit of working out, because the veal was simply awesome - melt in your mouth, fall of the bone goodness! and apparently the smoked haddock, garden peas, parmesan and saffron risotto that I had ACTUALLY ordered was pretty amazing too, so luckily my client and I parted on good terms!can't recommend highly enough.

The restaurant is quiet and the surroundings pleasant. The food is nicely prepared and properly seasoned. The desserts are not up to the standards of the rest of the menu, however. The prices are quite reasonable.

The food is of excellent quality, service is discreet and effective, the ambience is quiet and good for a chat (whether business or friendly). Only remark...I went there few years ago and they had truffles and procini mushrooms, now it seems they scrapped them...but the alternatives were very, very good. Definitely recommended!

Very friendly upmarket Italian restaurant - not the kind of place you would walk past unexpectedly so mainly visited by those in the know.

Food was really great, but the manager was on the telephone when I had to leave for a meeting, and I was told they couldn&#039;t take a credit card for about 5 minutes!! Luckily I had cash in my wallet, otherwise I would have been late for my meeting.....

Went to alba restaurant with my friends and we had a lovely dinner. Food was excellent, pasta was amazing specially the gnocchi. You have also the choice of menu 2 or 3 courses which were good value. They have also a good selection of wine. Overall we had a very good time

I have enjoyed both lunches and dinners at the Alba over the years and <br />have never had a disappointing experience. The food is always delicious<br />and the service excellent! Guests are always made to feel very welcome!<br />My favourite Italian restaurant.

The new management seem to have settled down to producing a very good quality of food and service. The set menu is good value for London and all the dishes were freshly prepared and tasty. Service and presentation is equally good and the atmosphere is comfortably smart but not over-so. I'm not so sure about the Piedmontese wines by the glass.

some years ago this restaurant left me with a slightly unpleasant memory - i.e. expensive, small portions, fancy. <br />I don&#039;t know whether I&#039;ve changed or they have, but this time I was rather pleased with it. Still quite smart, but food was excellent (at least our order was: warm salad w/chorizo, chicken on risotto, asparagus and gnocchi, affogato con cafe). Portions were adequate as well, so I could&#039;ve survived without a basket of bread with starters, which I ordered to be on the safe side Re: famine. Pecorino wine (selected out of curiosity) was not all that great so I regretted not ordering Barbera d&#039;Asti which was also on my shortlist. <br />All in all- very good. If only measures of grappa would be as generous as in Italy, I&#039;d be in heaven :)

Went here for the first time; was going to see a show at the Barbican. We told them we were a little tight for time and the service as fast and efficient. The food was great! The set menu was good value for London and all of the courses were excellent - so often this does not happen with set menus. I would recommend and will go there again when I next have tickets for the Barbican.

I ahve been going to Alba infrequently for 15 years and have in the past loved the food/wine/ambience. Last week after a long gap I returned. The bifg difference is that the food is neither as good or craetive as before. Nevertheless a good option if going to the Ba

We had evening meal here before going to a show and had the restaurant to ourselves. The waiter was polite. The food was good and prepared well. I had the spagetti with king prawns, which contained good amount of prawns. My husband had the chicken with tarragon risotto, which had a lovely flavour to it. Despite being the only table there, they did forget our side salad, which when arrived was quite disappointing as we couldn&#039;t taste the fennel at all.<br />Nice decor, however a little strange attention not carried through to smaller details such as the dessert spoon or hand soaps and air fresheners in the toilets.<br />All in all, it was a pleasant experience and the food was good. Will go again.

Although we were the only pre-concert diners on a sunny Friday evening, we still enjoyed our meal from the prix fxe menu at Alba. We started with asparagus and got&#039;s cheese (perfect) and a super and quite substantial Nicoise salad before both enjoying the excellent chicken in parma ham with (most excellent) risotto. Nice service, some good Italian wine, always good.

I am a regular customer of Alba restaurant. I was there last night with my wife for dinner. The restaurant is being ran by a new management now. The quality of food is very high and the food is very delicious. The price is reasonable for the quality of foods. The staff are very professional and kind. We will definitely go to there again.

We have known this restaurant since it first opened 20 years ago but had not been for over 3 years - we won't being going again anytime soon with the dumbing down of quality by present management. Not a good start when bread we asked for came warmed up to conceal its lack of freshness. We opted for a la carte rather than the fixed price menu - mistake as each dish was either bland (tian of crab) or overwhelmed by unpleasant sauce (on risotto accompaniment to osso bucco). You get better and cheaper price at a Jamie's

Amazing! It's obvious this lovely Italian has been taken over by new owners. On arriving at the Alba a lovely Italian waiter made us feel welcomed and relaxed, I knew I had picked the right restaurant for a special occasion! For starter I had the crab and my partner had the duck terrine, both were perfection! For mains I had the sea bass and my partner had the steak which was the best steak I've ever had before. He also had a side of fries with truffle oil and Parmesan, the combination is interesting but works very well. You can tell the chef had put a lot of effort into this menu. For dessert we had the rice pudding and the Pannacotta, perfect way to end a lovely meal. The 3 courses were very good value along with the service and the atmosphere. Definatley returning!

We often dine at Alba before going to the Barbican and have always had good meals and service there. It provides real Italian food that gives a feel of Italian regional food.

Always liked to go to the restaurant and this time too.

The food at Alba is consistently good and the service is outstanding as the staff really go out of their way to make you feel welcome.

All the dishes on the table (business lunch) were well received, mine was very good indeed. The surroundings are lovely too - unexpected in this street. Obviously the owners have not spared any expense on any area and in particular have made sure the food comes top of this list. Really pleased to find this and it will be our regular when we are in the area as opposed to the other two we would normally visit in Chiswell Street.

It has been a great neighbourhood restaurant for almost 15 years. Food a cut above the average, excellent friendly service, pleasant ambiance. I had an excellent meal. But the night that I went was the last night before they closed for good, victim of London soaring rents which are squeezing out the small independents.

Three of us went before a Barbican concert. The food was very good: the truffle risotto fantastic. A pity the restaurant is closing down in its present form.

This is an excellent find for us. We were three girlfriends wanting to catch up before the holiday break over dinner rather than in a bar / pub. The venue is very pleasant and the service outstanding. They balanced being attentive and available without being overbearing. Knowledgeable about the food and helpful with recommendations. They could recommend drinks and even checked to see if they suited our palate. The food was flavoursome and the portions good. The set menu is very good value too.

We were told that the restaurant was closing this week. That is a real pity as it is perfect for after the Barbican. Very good food, wine and service. Addio.

Excellent food, very friendly and attentive staff. Ideal Italian restaurant for pre theatre dinner.

Excellent prosecco and veal chop. Fast efficient service. Ambiance slightly lacking, but food, speed and convenience compensate.

Excellent food, excellent service, lovely ambience .. highly recommended - if you love light, flavourful Italian food you will love Alba!

We were treated extremely well by the team at Alba. Courteous staff and excellent authentic Italian food. Excellent wine list too. Highly recommended for client lunches.

Alba is an established favorite of mine. The pasta with white truffles and venison stew with polenta were fantastic. Great wine list, too

This restaurant is great if you are on an expense account and your business pays.We went with a friend who is a regular customer here, and the service was slow, and clumsy.For the prices charged I expected tip top service and tip top food.I ordered the Liver which I had to return as it was cold, not once, but twice, and after the second return I told them I no longer required the food, but they returned it after it had been nuked in the microwave. I was surprised to be charged for this.Our bill for 3 people was £230 Including a bottle of wine, an extortionate amount to pay for such mediocre food and service.

Alba is the restaurant of choice for me when entertaining business visitors to our office. The service is excellent, and the food is always great and the menu varied enough to keep me interested whilst keeping the favourites on hand. Marvellous.

We chose this restaurant by coincidence, being near the Barbican. It was a great experience, with very nice and innovative dishes. The ingredients were of great quality, good quantity and the cooking was very nice. we really enjoyed it. During the lunch, the electricity went off (in the area) and the maitre d'hotel mastered very well the situation - kudos. We'll definitely return.

The set menu was good, with decent portion sizes, and represented reasonable value. Our pre-theatre meal was comfortably served in 75 minutes, but I do wish they wouldn&#039;t take bookings for 5pm when you cannot order until the kitchen opens at 5.30pm.

A low key restaurant with excellent food and service, with a very genuine Italian feel.

We were a group of almost 25 people. We had individually been asked about our preferances of a menu and were served accordingly. Some foods took longer to serve than others, but otherwise it was fine. The food was tasty and nicely set, however not really spectacular.Portion sizes were fairly small, even for european standard.

Had a great sea bream, perfectly prepared. Good for a business lunch in the barbican area. Good serviceand would recommend.

We arrived early, before the kitchen opened at 5.30, but were warmly greeted with bread olives and wine. Service was friendly and professional. The pre-theatre menu was outstanding value - we had chicken, served with vegetables in cartoccio, The tiramisu, made with excellent coffee and no alcohol, came in its own individual lidded pots and was likewise outstanding.<br /><br />The Alba is a calm and satisfying place, not flashy but correct in its approach to North Italian cuisine.

As you see from my 5star ratings in every category, I found this one of the best dining experiences. It was an important occasion for us as it was my son&#039;s birthday, and everything was perfect.

Really lovely food and attentive staff, however don&#039;t try squeezing a quick lunch in between meetings as it just won&#039;t happen!

It must be good because it draws people in on a street which isn&#039;t in the heart of either a business or a cultural area, and it is. The restaurant is smart, the food is well-executed and yet it retains the personality and charm of a family-run Italian. I will go back.

Good quality, slightly unusual Italian food. Nothing like the traditional British-Italian pasta and pizza trattoria. Good wine list.

Alba is one of our favourite Italian restaurants. The food is away from &#039;chain Italian&#039; (no pizzas) and much more interesting for it, with daily specials and a fixed price menu. Some interesting Italian wines too, coupled with friendly and efficient service.

I&#039;ve been to Alba on a number of occasions: the food and service never disappoint. My salad of baby octopus and prawns with Charlotte potatoes was perfect. The herb coated chicken breast and vegetables on papillotte fresh and exciting. The torta di Nonna always reliable. Recommended.

I had a late dinner with business acquintances. The positives. The restaurant has great service. It also has a nice ambience. The wine we chose was excellent. The food though, was not that good. I may be a little bit of a foodie but there were some fundamentals made. The starters were good but lacked a certain "pop" which could have been elevated by adding seasoning. I ordered a steak (rare) with arugula. Firstly, the steak came in well done and there was no vinagreitte on the salad. Secondly the steak was a little chewy. So, if you have a special mentioning in Zagat I would expect you to be able to have top class product. Still, good wine and great service.

Excellent service, the menu is interesting and the food is exceptional, wonderfully prepared and presented and very good value for money

This was an informal business dinner (if that is possible). The manager and his staff were very attentive and confident to explain the menu and wines. The food was excellent. Okay the a la carte was not very long, but they change the menu every 2 months and you wouldn't need to go every week.

A delightful restaurant with a focus on the very best fresh Italian food. An excellent wine list and service to a level hard to find. A perfect lunch spot, reasonably priced. Nice airy decor makes this a favorite place for lunch in a area crammed with great places to eat. Reservations advised. I prefer to sit on the left which has less through traffic. A few minutes walk down Old Street from Barbican tube or closer still from Old Street tube station taking a left down Whitecross. Resist the street food lining Whitecross and treat yourself to a lunch you'll love. No pressure to turn tables. A quite excellent place to enjoy a fine lunch.

My son-in-law booked Alba on recommendation from a friend and we were delighted from the moment we stepped through the door. Our daughter had just graduated with her Clinical PhD at the Barbican and the aperitif suggested by our wonderful host Taddeo got us off to a celebratory start. We had arrived early but it was no problem, unlike some restaurants where you have to hurry up because the table may be needed for a second sitting.We went for main courses. My sea bass was cooked to perfection, although I had asked if it was served as a fillet and it arrived whole...( I don't like to see the eyes and tail ) but again Taddeo whisked it away and it arrived back as I wanted it. Rebecca and George had the Veal Milanese which they found very good and Barry had the Hake which he enjoyed. Puddings and cheese all good and we were called back for a complimentary Limoncello. We left feeling as if the staff didn't want us to go which was lovely. I remember going to a restaurant once where they were cleaning the tables with disinfectant before we left!We will be back and thank you to you all at Alba for a most enjoyable evening.

I love visiting Alba and always enjoy the food, fantastic wine recommended by Teddy and most of all the attentive service.Best on the menu at present is the very traditional filled courgette flower and the delicious truffled beef. Enjoy!

I had the potatoes with smoked mozarella - it was boring but the Tiramisu was excellent. My dinner partner had lamb which she enjoyed. We went on a Saturday evening at 6pm and the restaurant was quiet which I think makes it a great place for business meals.

Alba is consistently good: food, wines and service are all impressive.

Authentic and fresh Italian dining with a fantastic chef and highly capable service. I have never had a bad meal at Alba!

We were quite a large group of +20 people and had a set menu. The service was excellent and attentive. While the food was tasty and well presented, it wasn't rustic Italian as we expected. Many of the items were more European centric - not bad at all, just different. The portions were rather small, so it was good that we had a 3-course menu. Slightly cramped space for such a large group, but the friendly and knowledgeable staff and the good wine selection made up for it.

Terrible and unconceivable behaviour from staff and owners. Last year I organised my partner's 40th birthday, on a quiet Saturday night, a big table with over 20 people. We had a set menu with food and coffee included, at the end of the evening I realised that no side vegetable dishes and coffee were served, I was promised a refund the same night, but when I enquired the following morning it was all a different story, they refused to pay refund for coffees that were paid for and never served. I am still waiting after many failed attempts. This is a very unprofessional and unfair behaviour, after having spent lots of money and drunk expensive wines, it ruined our very special event. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone, plenty more nice restaurants to chose from but not this one

Poor food. Excellent wine but we paid for it. Used to be a favourite of mine but the menu has gone too far off-piste for an Italian restaurant, in my opinion.

Alba is our favourite restaurant in the Barbican area. The menu options are always interesting, beautifully presented and very tasty whether simple or more complex. Friendly knowledgable service, fair prices, interesting Italian wines too. You should try it.

Went there as a family group - most of us being amateur food critics. The food was excellent - try the beef carpacio with smoked blueberries as a starter ,an exciting combination of tastes. The pastas were all great too ( tasting of other peoples plates ( no calories ! ) - especially the beetroot ravioli with gorgonzola cream cheese, but the Sedanini and Stracci were good too I has the chicken with Swiss chard but the Duck (confit ? ) was really the better choice not at all fatty . Of the sweets the Cheesecake was the only " standard fare " taste but try the Vinsanto it is really worth the supplement over the standard sweets price. The atmosphere was Ok but it's difficult to make vibrant when it was so quiet on a Saturday eveing.The service was also very good , the Polish ( not Russian ) waitress' english was very good and even the Chef came out to see us at the end of the evening , Well worth it

we ate here as a group of 6. As we all like to share we were able to taste many of the things on the menu. The food was excellent, without exception. There was nothing we didn't like and we managed to get through 4 courses! Service was really good as well. We'll certainly come back when in London.

First time here and we&#039;ll definitely be back. Delicious food and gracious service.

I went back to Alba last week for the first time in about a year. I have had some great meals here in the past and was encouraged by the reviews I read of other people's recent visits - but I was very sadly disappointed.Starters were mixed - my Beef Carpaccio was okay but the beef was rather watery; my son's Mixed Cured Meats generous and better. Likewise, he did well with the Pasta course - his Stracci with Tuscan Sausage Ragu was the best thing we ate but my Sedanni with Sardines was a strange juxtaposition of quite well done pasta with a few grilled sardine fillets plonked on top - didn't work for me at any rate. We both had the Duck Confit and were both disappointed. Rather tasteless duck and very tasteless Celeriac Puree was not complimented by some rather sweet prunes.A nice Barolo and some pretty attentive staff were the upside. Overall the restaurant was quiet, especially for a Wednesday evening; this may be on account of the food (we were told it was the Head Chef's evening off) or may be the root of the problem.I will probably try Alba again, more in hope than expectation but also because I can't believe that somewhere that was once so good can have declined so much.

My favourite place in the Barbican area for a pre-concert dinner. Solid food, good deal for menus, good choice of wine and excellent service. Great value for money. Always happy to go back when in the area!

In the financial district - not a lot of choices.We dined on a Saturday night - very few diners (maybe the scene on the weekends as they cater to the biz crowd during the week).Wait staff was friendly but one had difficulty communicating (Russian?). Atmosphere so-so (maybe because of the almost empty place).Food was pretty good - starter, soups, lamb shank, and a pasta dish. In hindsight - the entrees were very good.Damages including an inexpensive wine were $150 for two. Hey - it's London.