Tarantella

4 Elliott Road
W4 1PE

020 8987 8877


Tarantella opened in Elliott Road early in 2007, replacing the popular local That's Amore, next door to Jimmy's barbers. We'd never been before. If we've walked past it once a week since it opened, that's about 700 times without ever wondering what it's like inside. But then we went twice in little over a week, the nights before our youngest two fledglings left the nest after the long, long first lockdown.

It's a tiny space, with tightly packed tables arranged on two levels and some spilling out on the pavement when the weather is kind. It feels like a proper little Italian trattoria, the sort of place you might have visited in the 1970s, before all the chains and fancy restaurants arrived in Chiswick. 

The name of the restaurant is derived from a traditional Italian folk dance "used to capture the heart of a lover, or as a dance to cure a deadly tarantula bite" (other remedies are available). It also sells a range of Italian grocery staples including pesto, wine, flour, yeast, pasta, polenta and Italian tinned tomatoes and beans.

They've got a good but small range of typical Italian starters. On my first visit with Young Mister W4 we'd stopped off first for a beer at The Italian Job, so had worked up sufficient appetite to share a melanzana ripiena (roasted aubergine stuffed with olives, mushrooms and mozzarella with tomato sauce) and a mozzarella pomodorella (baby mozzarella marinated in sun-dried tomato pesto, wrapped in Valtellina speck and baked in the oven). The second time I went with Mrs & Miss West4urants, and we more modestly shared two between three: a bruschetta with fresh tomatoes and a burrata Pugliese (smoked creamy mozzarella with baby tomatoes, artichoke and roasted peppers).

But it's all about the pasta and pizza really. Miss W4 had the pasta of the day and Mrs W4 had spaghetti vongole (she doesn't usually eat carbs after dark but she had just walked 192 miles) plus side salad of course. The 'boy' can't resist a calzone and I must admit I tend to order pizza in Italian restaurants on the grounds that you can cook pasta at home. Neither disappointed.

If you live within walking distance of Tarantella you're lucky to have a proper local Italian on your doorstep. If you're too lazy for that and want "a slice on the side of the hot tub," then get "delivery like a g" through Snoop Dogg's favourite, Just Eat.

Food (for 3 - second visit): £65.80

Drink: £33.95

Total: £116.55