Review: A white truffle extravaganza at Sette by Scarpetta

It is fitting that Sette by Scarpetta is hidden away in the Bvlgari Hotel in Knightsbridge, because it is truly a gem when it comes to exceptional Italian cuisine. Here, you will find warm and kind staff, a gorgeous bar overlooking the restaurant, perfect ambience, and most of all: an exquisite new white truffle menu added to Sette’s already incredible offerings.

White truffle is by and far one of the rarest truffles in the world. These mushrooms are very seasonal and are only available for a few months each year. The appeal of this specific kind of mushroom lies in its aroma — an intense fragrance that sets it apart from the more common black truffle. 

Its complex flavour profile with notes of garlic, shallots, and earthy undertones is what makes it such a compelling part of any dish. And Sette by Scarpetta made sure to use this rare mushroom in a way that elevates their already exceptional Italian offerings. 

Related: 24 Hours in Knightsbridge – A guide to London’s luxury fashion havenTheir new limited edition white truffle menu, which will run until the end of this year, features four dishes that include three grams of fresh white truffle: scrambled eggs with butter and white truffle, angus beef tartare with white truffle, homemade tagliatelle with butter and white truffle, and a risotto with butter, parmesan and white truffle. 

Sette has also created a unique white truffle negroni to elevate the experience, created with white truffle infused engine gin, Quaglia bergamot liqueur, and Lillet blanc

The trick with using this mushroom is that you have to let it shine, our server says as he explains the menu to us. Keeping the dishes very simple, making sure they’re not crowded with extra ingredients or elements is the key to ensuring a pleasant experience. 

And we soon understood what he meant when — after we’d gorged on appetisers in the form of a yellowtail with pickled red onion and wonderful, buttery seared scallops with cauliflower and capers — he brought out the dish I was looking forward to the most: the homemade tagliatelle.The dish’s premise was incredibly simple: tagliatelle pasta, butter and white truffle. No additional meat, no other flavours or ingredients. Simply pasta with butter and one of the rarest, most decadent mushrooms in the world. And as soon as we took the first bite, we understood why it was important to let the mushroom speak for itself.

The result was an explosion of flavour. The white truffle shone completely with its hints of garlic and earthy flavours — never overpowering — and married perfectly with a side of creamy spinach. And the ‘homemade’ aspect of the title wasn’t an exaggeration either. It genuinely tasted like the recipe of an Italian nonna who perfected it over the years with a great deal of love and care. It was a dish I could eat every day and never get tired of — and left me wanting more.

We paired this explosion of truffle with the non-truffly dish of black cod with caramelised fennel and confit tomato, which was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. However, if you’d like to continue the white truffle train, the risotto comes highly recommended. The staff also recommend getting appetisers that have truffle in them to familiarise your palate with its taste.

Related: The most luxurious Sunday roasts to enjoy in London this autumnAfter we’d had such an indulgent evening sampling the best white truffle can offer, we moved on to dessert — which, like the rest of the menu, absolutely did not disappoint. I would highly recommend getting the red velvet cheesecake with raspberry jam, cream cheese mousse and amarena gelato. The cheesecake itself is light and plump, and pairs perfectly with the gelato.

We also tried the espresso budino with salted caramel, chocolate biscotti and hazelnut gelato. I am always hesitant to try chocolate desserts purely because I don’t like how overpowering they are. But this was absolutely perfect. It had just the right amount of chocolate paired with the saltiness of the caramel and the incredible gelato, and was the perfect way to end an incredibly lovely meal.

The wonderful dishes tasted even better thanks to the exceptional hospitality on display by the staff at Sette, and the wine selected by the sommelier that went so well with each course.

With truffles already being one of the most coveted ingredients in modern day cuisine, eating a dish made out of the freshest mushrooms is a luxury unto itself. So if you’re looking for a luxurious dining experience featuring decadent, in-season white truffles, you can’t go wrong with making a trip to Sette by Scarpetta. It’ll leave you wanting more — it certainly did for me.

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