UNTIL last week, I hadn't gone to Wimb- ledon since
I went on a school journey to see Evonne Goolagong play in 1972. I can remember hardly a thing about it neither who she was playing nor whether she won — but I do know I haven't been tempted back since.
At least not for the tennis. I did take it upon myself, however, to go on a recce of the restaurants a few days ago. Not every- one who'll be at Wimbledon over the next couple of weeks will have had the foresight to take sandwiches and it could be useful to know of somewhere to go and eat in the vicinity.
It's not as easy as you might think. It seems that neither the Lawn Tennis Asso- ciation nor the Wombles have interfered much with this lush suburban plot. No bad thing of course, but odd that so few restaurateurs have been drawn to an area where signs of affluence — expansive coach-lanterned villas, gleaming monsters of cars, Rolex watches on many a Corfu- tanned wrist — are so densely exhibited.
The duce of Knightsbridge restaurants, San Lorenzo in Beauchamp Place, has, however, spawned here. But it is obvious that whoever runs the company doesn't think as much effort is called for in SW19 as it is in SW1. San Lorenzo Fuoriporta (so called for its pretty garden) is very much a poor relation.
The Knightsbridge San Lorenzo is ex- pensive but the menu has compensations (particularly noteworthy bagna cauda and buttery calves' brains); the Wimbledon menu (no cheaper) is frankly boring. There is very little apart from the usuals — Parma ham and melon, minestrone, avocado with prawns and an uninspired selection of pasta dishes, and I was disappointed with the obvious paste: cannelloni, lasagne, spaghetti alle vongole, fettucine with ham and cream or spag bol is what I call a pretty poor show. Servings were generous but the pasta no more than all right. And I baulk rather at paying £3.50 for a bowl of spaghetti, but apart from the stracciatella (broth with egg beaten into it) at £2.50 you won't find a cheaper starter. And melon at £3?
For the main course you can have veal, veal or veal. Otherwise choose breast of chicken stuffed in one way or another, calves' liver, salmon trout, king prawns, dover sole, steak with rosemary or green peppercorns or lamb with same. The liver was neither as tender nor as sweet as it should have been and the lemon and thyme sauce on my escalope of veal tasted as if it might have sat around for a while. Neither was bad enough to give acute displeasure, though at £7.50 a throw it was an expensive disappointment.
Puddings (Orrore! no zabaglione) mostly consist of ice-cream, or you can try their San Lorenzo Special — pancake wrapped round a quantity of whipped cream, co- vered with crumbled macaroons and doused with Tia Maria. In Beauchamp Place the liqueur is Amaretto: better.
San Lorenzo does not distinguish itself with its wine list. Stick to something you know (Frascati is seldom painful). Apart from the fuoriporta bit, there is nothing much to recommend San Lorenzo, it is true, but its main problem is that it charges exorbitant prices (£20 plus a head) for ordinary trattoria food.
You could take the plunge at Wimble- don's newest restaurant, The Village, on the site of the old Lemon Tree. The MD of Odins is a partner and the place is not without ambition. Usual Sunday- supplement haute cuisine — warm quail and spinach salad, mille feuille of wild salmon, barbary duck with passion fruit sauce — but early reports are promising. £25ish a head.
Slightly less expensive is The Fisher- man's Wharf in the High Street; fresh fish and special party facilities available for Wimbledon fortnight. Next door to San Lorenzo is an (unless you sit in their blossoming garden) wine bar, Downs, where you can eat cheaply. Avoid at all cost the quiche and various suspect concoc- tions and go for a steak instead and you'll probably be all right. Do not try to economise on the wine.
In Leopold Road there's a Greek (Vinetree Taverna) and Indian (Gaylord) restaurant, and if they are full up or don't appeal there's always Tootsies (meaty and reasonably-priced hamburgers) or Pizza Express in the High Street. And if you just want to get the hell out as soon as possible, there's a McDonalds over the road from the tube.
Perhaps you shouldn't forget your sand- wiches.
Nigella Lawson
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