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Address: 3 Queens Walk, Reading, RG1 7QF (Queens Walk is next to the Penta Hotel)
Telephone number: 0118 959 7700
Website: www.pepesale.co.uk
Date of visit: 9 November 2011
Previous report: 12 March 2010
Approximate cost per head for 2 courses: £20 plus. Set Lunch: £9 for a main course or £13.40 for 2 courses.
Wine list: Short at reasonable mark up. Trust Marco the Maitre D’ when ordering wine. He will get you a decent bottle at around £20 – £30.
Cuisine: Sardinian (Italian)
Likes and dislikes: Excellent food, brilliant service.
Summary:
This is a restaurant tucked away between The West Street Mall (Butts Centre) and the Penta Hotel. Park in the West Street Mall. It has been around for over 10 years.
For various reasons, I have not been for nearly a year but the same old people (Marco – Maitre D’;Tony – chef, owner) is still there. The menu is about the same with little change and the food – as good as ever.
First of all, I would like to report that the “fresh” pasta – especially the various stuffed pasta – is still the best around this part of the world.
Pasta making is now in a corner at the front of the restaurant to attract passers by.
I went with N, a newly appointed Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Royal Berks. We both had the set lunch (£13.40) with identical courses – tagliatelli with ham in a cream sauce to start with and Sardinian sausage (meat balls) with beans in a tomato sauce. This came with salad or vegetables – carrots and sauté potatoes We also ordered the bread basket (£2.80) – sliced baguette with carta musica. The bread came with a wonderful olive oil for dipping in.
The wine was a 2005 Tanca Farra (£29.50) which according to Marco was 50% cabernet and 50% nebbiolo. It was very drinkable. Unfortunately, N only had a glass which meant that I hadn to consume the rest – not good at lunch time.
Because of its location – you have to look for it, the restaurant has never been popular – it served local business, the law courts and the hotel. However, take my word; it is one of the best around. Stay off the fish unless it is on the specials board
E
.
Address: 3 Queens Walk, Reading, RG1 7QF (Queens Walk is next to the Penta Hotel)
Telephone number: 0118 959 7700
Website: www.pepesale.co.uk
Date of visit: 10 March 2010
Approximate cost per head for 2 courses: £20
Comments on wine list/beer: Peroni on tap. Very good value Italian list with a good selection of Sicilian/Sardinian wines. The manager, Marco, is a real foodie ad he knows his wines. Ask him for a recommendation. He usually offers something around £20.
Summary:
Pepe Salle has been around for near 10 years. Its previous incarnations (different owners) were French and Portuguese. Both lasted only a couple of years.
I used to come here a lot when I was working across the road. This is my first visit in nearly 12 months.
The first impression is that there is no change. It is still brightly lit with the restaurant on 2 levels – separated by 4 feet of stairs. The “downstairs” dining room is bigger and tends to be noisier as the sound bounces off the walls and the tiled floor.
For starters, we had gamberoni arrabbiata, avacardo e fungi and the special of the day, oyster mushrooms cooked in garlic butter and served on crisp thin bread (carta de piano)
The mushroom was cooked just right – still el dente and juicy not shrivelled up or chewy.
For main course, we had ravioli ricotta, mallorreddo (small spiral pasta served in a sausage meat and spicy tomato sauce) fegato al balsamico (calves’ liver) and spaghetti bottarga (spaghetti with shaven mullet roe cooked in garlic butter).
Pepe Salle is a Sardinian Italian restaurant; their best dishes are mushrooms and pasta. When in season, Marco regularly forages for wild mushrooms. I have had great English porcini mushrooms here. Their pasta is always cooked right and comes with great sauces. My regular dishes are the ravioli and spaghetti bottarga.
The whole lot was washed down with two bottles of vermentino di gall – crisp and fresh at £18.90 a bottle.
The bill for 4 including bread and side salads came to £126.60 (excluding service). The food here is still as good as ever. They remain my favourite Italian.
Eddie