Aldo grew up in an Italian fishing village near Pescara and his menus have always featured seafood strongly. Londoners have certainly taken to the new fish restaurants that have opened over the past couple of years - people are more health conscious, so I'm told, and are turning to fish as an alternative to meat. Not true so far as I personally am concerned, but I love fish just as much as I do meat, game and all manner of vegetables. For me it's the freshness and the cooking that counts. And the cheerfulness and helpfulness of the staff and the comfort and ambience of the dining room.
Zilli fish is spacious and light with submarine colours and textures.
It occupies a corner site on Brewer Street with big windows through which, from time to time, people ogled the marvellous food on our plates. There's a very large fish tank over the bar where lobsters and bass lurk, waiting for their culinary apotheosis. Fishing them out looked a dangerous operation, there's so much beautiful coral in the tank. Tables are small but well spaced, mainly because of the luxurious chairs. The menu is nicely balanced with nine antipasto dishes, eight pastas, nine main dishes and four meats including Aldo's famous suckling pig.