REVIEW: Jamie’s Italian – Angel, London

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REVIEW: Jamie’s Italian – Angel, London

I was in Angel and needing a quick bite to eat before heading to a show at Sadler’s Wells theatre – eventually opting for Jamie’s Italian for a pasta fix.

It is perhaps a little too easy to be hyper-critical of chain restaurants like Jamie’s Italian, but if I was Jamie Oliver and it was my name above the door I’d be disappointed that this outpost of his empire is lacking in soul.

The lighting was good. The music was okay.

The staff were friendly and efficient enough, but lacking any real engagement. There was some sort of special dinner menu on offer, but no one mentioned it to me. A restaurant like this can’t be the most exciting place to work, but it was clear that everyone was just going through the motions.

I ordered a bowl of carbonara. It came out incredibly quickly – literally minutes after the waitress had taken my order – and it wasn’t very good. It wasn’t terrible but it lacked any depth of flavor.

The whole thing was somehow a little depressing.

Jamie’s Italian is part of a restaurant chain. You get what it says on the tin.