db Eats: Beck at Browns

db’s resident glutton, Lucy Shaw, heads to Heinz Beck’s new London restaurant at Browns Hotel for vintage Negronis and exploding Carbonara.

The concept: While too modest to admit it, Heinz Beck is a big deal. Born in southern Germany near the Swiss border, Beck dreamed of being a painter, but his father wouldn’t allow him to pursue such a fanciful profession, so he trained as a chef instead.

Having cut his teeth at the three star Tantris in Munich, in 1994 Beck moved to his beloved Italy, where he made a name for himself among the restaurant glitterati at La Pergola in Rome, the first restaurant in the eternal city to be awarded three Michelin stars.

While running La Pergola, Beck found the time to launch Apsleys at The Lanesborough, which ran from 2009 to 2013 in one of the prettiest dining rooms in London, and won a star just five months after opening.

Cacio e pepe with lime-marinated langoustines

Keen to cook in the capital again, last December Beck teamed up with Rocco Forte’s Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair to launch a six-week pop-up called Ora showcasing some of La Pergola’s signature dishes alongside new plates created specifically for the London venture.

Having tested the water, in April Beck went permanent with Beck at Browns, a more casual incarnation of Ora where Italian classics are given playful twists.

The décor: The opulent wood-panelled room is as sumptuous as ever, and has been given an on-trend makeover by Italian designer Olga Pollizi with the addition of totally tropical palm tree wallpaper and gorgeous upholstered teal velvet crescent moon-shaped booths that are so cosy, we practically had to be dragged out of them.

Ella, Nina and Chet’s mellifluous tones drift through the speakers and the atmosphere is chic and convivial.

The food: Beck’s food has a distinctly Italian accent but tips its hat to classic French techniques. The menu reads like an ode to the jewels of the sea, with the likes of langoustine and lobster given (three Michelin) star treatment.

Working with seasonal British and Italian ingredients, Beck aims to showcase the diversity of cooking techniques found throughout Italy, from the hearty meat dishes of the mountainous north to the citrus-laced flavours of the sun-drenched south.

My burrata starter was one of the highlights of the night. The indecently soft, cream-filled mozzarella is two a penny on menus now, but Beck’s showed off his astute understanding of flavours and textures, the creamy cheese offset but the sweet tang of tomato and earthy crunch of courgette.

Beck’s divine exploding fagotelli carbonara

I’m a big fan of Padella’s popular cacio e pepe (Pecorino and black peppercorn) spaghetti, so was curious to try Beck’s interpretation of the dish that included enticing sounding lime-marinated langoustines.

While the silky spaghetti was every bit as decadent as I’d hoped for, I had to hunt for the langoustines, whose delicate flavour got lost amid the molten mass of peppery sauce.

Disappointingly, my Dover sole main served alongside a melée of green and white asparagus and wild mushrooms, fell short of the mark.

There was no unity between the fish and the veg, which were divided by an invisible force field, the one not daring to stray anywhere near the other.

Sole is a delicate fish, and I understand Beck’s desire not to overpower it, but it was crying out for a buttery sauce to elevate it to greatness.

Signature dishes: No trip to Beck at Browns would be complete without trying his signature dish from La Pergola – the fagotelli carbonara.

Formed of tiny, frilly, sunshine yellow pasta parcels that look like tortellini, their demure demeanour hides a rich underbelly of flavour that reveals itself on biting, when the parcels erupt in a creamy, salty explosion that’s so divine, you find yourself wanting to relive the experience instantly.

Save room for tiramisu

Packaging the umami-rich carbonara sauce inside the little parcels is a genius trick only the cleverest of chefs can convincingly pull off.

The drink: The wine list celebrates Italian drops and offers a tempting selection by the glass. Head sommelier Angelo Lorea will guide you through the offering and edge you towards some mineral whites from his homeland of Friuli.

The wine of the night however, was an assured 2015 Meursault from Domaine René Monnier, which paired perfectly with the exploding carbonara.

Also rocking our world was an ethereal, cherry and earth-scented Barolo, which the sommelier forgot to take away after pouring us a glass. It took all our willpower not to drain the bottle of every last drop.

Who to know: The main man himself. While normally stationed in Rome, you may be lucky enough to visit on a night when Beck is manning the stoves.

Don’t leave without: Ordering a vintage cocktail. Negroni and Martini lovers are in for a treat as Salvatore Calabrese’s neighbouring Donovan Bar specialises in both and includes a number of twists on the classic cocktails, including vintage versions that are shaken for you tableside on an antique trolley by dashing barman Federico.

Last word: For anyone who loves fine Italian food, a taste of Heinz is a must. Beck at Browns is a different proposition to Ora, and for us had a bit less of the wow factor, particularly when it came to the mains.

Perhaps Beck is on safer ground in fine dining territory, and should bring this spirit of La Pergola and Ora back to Beck, as this is where his talent can be fully expressed and the fireworks ignite.

For those curious for a snapshot of what Beck does best, order the burrata and a bowl of the exploding fagotelli and you’ll go home happy.

Beck at Brown’s Hotel, Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BP; Tel: +44 (0)20 7518 4004