'Dishes Like Grandma Used To Make' at Totide

New Putney restaurant that deserves a visit and for many it will become a regular

Just off Putney High Street on Chelverton Road is an Italian restaurant Totide that deserves a visit. Lack of passing footfall does not help but readers who make a visit will soon discover that the food and wine & hospitality is worth stepping off the High Street for.

Totide means “every day ” in the dialect of Emilia Romagna. The owners, three friends, hope that the restaurant that opened in spring 2016, will bring the 'best everyday' food and wine of their region to south west London 'just like grandma used to make' - it should be remembered that the region is home of Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar, tortellini and Parma ham - so they have a great starting point.

Pop in for a glass of wine or a meal

The wine list contains wines ranging from £15 to one at £97 - the majority are comfortably in the mid to late twenties. Our table opted for a well priced Sangiovese Superiore Doc “I Diavoli” (Le Rocche Malatestiane Winery) (£26) - we enjoyed it so much somehow three bottle were consumed!

With parma ham being an obvious speciality we opted for two versions, Bocconcini di gnocco fritto con proscuiutto di parma 22 mesi DOP (Small special fried bread with 22 month aged Parma ham DOP) £5.80 and a generous portion of 22 month aged Parma ham with Parmesan cheese 36 months aged DOP £9.70. The ham was delicious, melting in the mouth and the 'fried bread' was nothing like the UK version you get for breakfast!

On the special menu was a fabulous tender bresola with parmesan and rocket. We also ordered a basket of 'tigelle' a regional bread, which consisted of eight warm scone-shaped, pitta-bread style pieces - imagine 'drop scones' with a crispier crust.

For our main course we all stuck with pasta dishes - the average was £9 each and despite a misunderstanding of pasta 'shapes' - what the British think tortelloni is may not be what the natives of Emilia Romagna create!

Ravioli di Zucha a la ragu bianco di salsiccia is a delicate ravioli filled with pumpkin, covered with a subtle ragu with crumbled sausage meat now in my mind that is a tortelloni in shape. The combination was rich but no flavour overpowering any of the others (pictured below left) (£9.50). Traditional bolognese was served enveloping fresh tagliatelle - delicious but not the most generous of portions for a man sized appetite however keenly priced at £8.50. Pictured right is the Tortelloni Vechia Modena; a pasta filled with spinach and ricotta cheese served with vecchia Modena sauce smoked bacon, cream and drops of traditional Balsamic vinegar of Modena (£9) - yes we assumed that was ravioli! I have decided that I need to have a lesson in cooking with pasta! All were widely appreciated for flavour and texture and price.

Puddings are not my fancy and one of my companions was a little disappointed after the fabuous pasta dishes and delicious red wine. From the menu the Zuppa Inglese (£5.80) was a little too like school trifle served in a preserving jar. A more successful choice was from the specials menu was the 'cake of the day' had a creamy, aromatic, homemade tart with pine nuts, topped off with fig and marsala ice cream.

The staff were so welcoming and charming taking time to assist with the wine choice, the food and industry of the region - they have every right to be proud of items such as the Ferrari, Lamborghini or celebrities like Pavarotti and Fellini and ingredients such as parma ham, balsamic vinegar and parmesan cheese.

Residents and visitors to Putney should pop along and enjoy this warm hospitality, food like 'Grandma used to make' and a great wine list - I am sure once tried it will become a regular haunt and a gem in Putney's gastronomic repertoire and it will not break the piggy bank.

Sandi Bloomfield

September 28, 2016

'Dishes Like Grandma Used To Make' at Totide

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