Bancone - Pasta in Covent Garden

Word of Mouth is so important for restaurants. In a digital age, where bloggers, websites and critics are able to share their thoughts readily and quickly, word of mouth helps hungry people like me, know where to go to get some good food..

I can thank two sources for my recent trip to Bancone in Covent Garden. 
1 - Hot-Dinners website
2 - Grace Dent and her review in the Guardian.

Bancone in Covent Garden is all about combining Italian traditions with new creations to feed people in their counter style restaurant. A few words about Bancone, by Bancone, below.
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Bancone, meaning ‘bar’ or ‘counter’ is situated on William IV Street in Covent Garden. We have three dining bars where you can relax and eat while watching the chefs at work in our fully open kitchen. Our menu takes inspiration from many of the 21 regions of Italy and our pasta is skilfully made in house every day. The exciting result is a combination of both traditional dishes and artisanal new creations pushing culinary boundaries with integrity and passion.

Bancone is Italian Pasta at very affordable prices in Covent Garden. The last two parts of that sentence are a key feature. Affordable food in Covent Garden.

This was a trip for three and we didn't want to spend too much. Work, budget limitations meant we had to be a bit wise with our menu choices. Therefore no drinks, and money was spent solely on food. I am not complaining, too much.
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What did we eat:
Starters

• Honeyed garlic focaccia v £4.5 
• 3 arancini: N’duja, mushroom & Dolcelatte £7
• Burrata, black figs & speck £9.5

Main Course:

• Silk handkerchiefs, walnut & hazelnut butter & confit egg yolk v £9 
• Slow cooked 10 hour oxtail ragu with pappardelle £11.5
• Tagliatelle with pressatella calabra, tomato, ricotta & black olives £11

Dessert:

• Gianduja chocolate, mascarpone & hazelnut v £8.0​

When I say all the food was great, I am not lying or exaggerating.
Upon my visit, the hype from both Grace Dent and Hot-Dinners was running through my veins. I was also quite hungry by the time of my first bite into the arancini. The first one I had was the N'djua (sausage) arancini. Gooey, cheesy, a hint of spice and crunchy. All the things I wanted and needed at the time, and thinking about it, I could have it now too.

The selection of starters all complemented each other well. The crunch of the arancini, the creamy burrata which oozed once cut open and then using the sweet fluffy focaccia to mop up any excess cheese, if any managed to avoid our mouths. Due to our budget restrictions, we had to share, so the starters were mopped up very quickly, leaving us all wanting a bit more.

Soon enough, our main courses came. I went for the silk handkerchiefs, purely based on Grace Dents commentary. She described the walnut butter as "heavenly" and "casually orgasmic".  She was very right. This dish is a MUST for anyone and everyone when going to Bancone.

I had a small taste of the other two main courses and they too were rich, warm and hearty dishes. So, I will be going back to try out their menu in full. Then I will go back again and again. Welcome to the area.

GOOD TIMES: The Silk Handkerchiefs pasta with the egg yolk was amazing. such a creamy pasta dish

WATCH OUT: This place is going to get busier and busier, book in advance

OMG: Fresh Pasta made in front of your very eyes (pic above) - definitely good for the Instagram crew