Eat Here: Emilia’s Crafted Pasta, St Katherine DocksBy Alicia Grimshaw
London isn’t short of pasta places. Over the years, Italian restaurants have been opening up all over the shop – and our love for pasta isn’t dying down anytime soon. There’s something so gloriously simple about pasta, yet get it right, and you’re presented with a bowl of endless happiness. If you’re searching for your next carb fix, we think it’s about time you visited Emilia’s Crafted Pasta.
Emilia’s Crafted Pasta: The Lowdown
Emilia’s Crafted Pasta (named after the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy), is a cozy pasta joint found within St Katherine Docks. Everything about this place is Italian; floor tiles have been sourced from Italy, the kitchen team knead the pasta fresh every morning, making sure there’s the correct proportions of water, durum wheat and flour, so that the pasta retains a firmness, and the sauce can stick to it. And the drink lists is unashamedly Italian (think Gazzosa Limone, an artisan lemonade; Aranciata, a tart orangeade; and Chinotto, a bitter citrus tipple).
The restaurant is snug, low key and stripped back; a handful of bar stools line the open-plan kitchen, there’s a few places to perch by the window, and out front, there’s a smattering of tables. We enjoy the closeness of the place; you can blatantly spy on other people’s orders, like we did, before making your own decision. The menu reflects the uncomplicated nature of the restaurant: 3 starters, 7 pastas, 2 side dishes and a trio of salads.
Emilia’s Crafted Pasta: The Food
We started off the burrata, served with ciabatta and doused in olive oil. Heavenly, creamy, delicate, the burrata oozed with buttery and creamy panna, and hunks of mozzarella.
The 4 hour slow cooked béchamel bolognese, hailing from Imola, a town located on the Santerno River to the west of Bologna, would make every Italian nonna proud. Buoyant silky ribbons of pappardelle doused in a homemade béchamel sauce, nuggets of rich mince, and finished with a duvet of parmesan was enough to have us book another table reservation for the following day.
The ravioli filled with organic lamb was a nod to the fuss-free things in life; beautifully light pasta parcels swimming in a simple butter and sage sauce.
And while we should’ve stopped at pasta bowl number 2, we charged onwards with another plate of carb-laden joy: pecorino lovingly covered in basil pesto and parmesan. The homemade pesto was punchy and heavy on the parmesan. Just sublime.
And it’s not just the pasta that will bring us back to this place, but the desserts. Good lord, the desserts. The lemon cake with flaked almonds, vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of honey was excellent, yet it was the Emilia’s special that was absolutely glorious. A textual masterpiece, the dribble-inducing Emilia’s special consisted of a vanilla ice cream topped with honey, crushed amaretti and cantuccini biscuits. Eat mouthful had crunch, cream and just the right-amount-of-sweet.
Emilia’s Crafted Pasta: The Verdict
Emilia’s Crafted Pasta exceeds in many areas; the no frills pasta, the homemade sauces, the in-expensive wine list, and the lovely, welcoming staff. We can’t fault this place. Book a table and indulge in a slap up carb feast for yourself.
C3, Ivory House, St Katharine Docks, St Katharine’s & Wapping, London E1W 1AT
