Incanto
Restaurants in Harrow (Middlesex)
41 High Street
Harrow
Middlesex
HA1 3HT
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About
About us
Step through the doors of this former 19th century post office to find this warm, vibrant Italian restaurant in the heart of historic Harrow on the Hill, amidst the famed Harrow School and just a short trip away from Wembley Stadium.
Our Food Philosophy
Our food philosophy is to use fantastic ingredients, treating them with respect and letting their flavours speak for themselves.We are proud of being a member of the Sustainable Restaurant Association. The emphasis is on Southern Italian cuisine with a modern contemporary style. Our carefully chosen ingredients arrive on your plate with provenance from a wide range of reputable sources â€" These range from the workshops of British artisan producers to the hectares of rolling farmland in Southern Sicily.
Restaurant and Delicatessen
Incanto Restaurant and Delicatessen is set at the Old Post Office in the heart of Harrow on the Hill. With its bright relaxed environment Incanto offers the highest quality authentic Southern Italian Cooking. An award winning Chef and his brigade offer seasonal produce of the highest order. Excellent childcare and wheelchair access. ...
Trading Since
2005
Reviews
Italian Magic Spell Chef - Orange Ice Cream
Incanto Review Clean modern decor with beams and character, romantic candles at night, a chef who will change dishes, friendly chatty, owner around to explain, change, sell and please, non-intrusive music, food to die for - such as the orange ice cream pictured. And if you can't afford it, you can buy from the deli counter out front.The Name IncantoThe name Incanto means spell or incantation, magic, fascination. Incanto is an Italian word (plural incanti). Yes, the spell of Italian food is the right name for this restaurant.Olde England LocationThe road from Harrow up the Hill to Harrow-on-the-Hill's famous school winds past twee olde worlde houses to the grand school at the top, beyond the green where you see at least three good restaurants. At lunchtime we saw boys wearing boater hats. Apparently some of the parents pre-pay an account for the term (or year?) so the boys can use the Incanto deli as a tuck shop.ServiceThe welcome is immediate. Choice of table - this place is much bigger than it looks. We could sit wherever we liked. We moved from the cute corner table for two, which proved not big enough for two large menus plus a drinks menu and four glasses to a table for four. Good, happy service. (No nonsense about, ‘This table is laid for four and we can't be bothered to move a fork for you, because we are more interested in the imaginary foursome in the bush that the couple of diners we have in hand and might lose.) Speed - superb. Somebody standing watching at the kitchen door or passing down the central aisle.Water and DrinksFirst they ‘passed the glass of water test' as we say in my family. Fay Maschler in the Evening Standard has a water symbol on her reviews.The water in Incanto is served in a tall waisted carafe with a pouring lip.(And none of that nonsense, mishearing you and asking still or sparkling, assuming you want bottled water, when they could ask, ‘A jug or a bottle?')A huge range of cocktails. Including kir royale. When I asked for a kir, they could do that. All at high prices. £7.95 for a Bellini (sparkling with peach).Novelties included the non-alchoholic mocktails including a rhubarb and custard drink at £5.25. If you can't see fruit juice on the menu, ask for the cocktail list.BreadBrown and white hot rolls. Served with oil. My companion informed me that food is different in north and south Italy. Like France, where in the north, especially Normandy, it's cooler for cows eating grass, like England, so they eat butter. In the north of Italy they eat potenta and potatoes and butter, whilst in the south they eat pasta and the Mediterranean hot country olive oil from those gnarled olive trees on parched land. Ah yes, so I prefer north Italian food (except for canneloni). I'm not so keen on oil with my bread. However, the bread is warm and well presented.StarterSoup. Pleasant.Smoked duck. The most inventive, original dish. Thinly sliced, not too much, and arranged on a square platter.Smoked salmon set out in a circle. Pretty and clever. In fact pretty clever. You try doing that at home with strips of salmon. Do they shape it with a mould?Main coursesFrom the two or three course lunch menu my companion has mussels. I'm allergic to shellfish. Did not want the vegetarian option. I don't eat pork. Steak. I'd opted to pay an extra £1.95 for steak. Cooked exactly as I wanted. With greenery on the side.I would have expected a couple of small potatoes Owner David Taylor said most people want a light meal at lunch time.. Instead I had to order potatoes at extra cost, but the potatoes were large (proper chips - not French fries). I thought they tasted slighty of olive oil but I'm told you can't cook in olive oil because the temperature would go too high. I received a sufficiently large portion to feed two people, with enough to take home for another meal of two portions. When wiped off at home they were perfect, even eaten cold or re-heated. The owner, David Taylor, was constantly passing down the central aisle, as were other members of staff, so we caught his eye and he immediately ordered my potatoes which came up fast enough to go with the steak. DessertRhubarb fool delightfully presented with a vertical crunchy biscuit which had a decorative red streak.Single Espresso CoffeeThe one bargain. Also it comes with a teeny, tasty biscuit.DecorBeams. Modern. A fancy rope leads down the curved staircase to the downstairs toilets. Ultra-modern. Cubicle a bit spartan but plant beside the basin. And moisturiser with pump action to restore the softness of your skin after you've washed with the gel. PriceWe had the February offer of reduced price bill and lunch for the second person for five pounds from vouchers given by the Financial Times. It was Friday, the last day of the offer and another restaurant had told us that they had made Thursday their last day. So Incanto got out business. We still spent over £50 on lunch for two. But money well spent. I'll remember that meal for years.Budget TipBuy the ice cream from the deli in front of the restaurant. We bought parma ham to take home. I once visited the Parma ham factory in Italy. The owner explained the two types of Parma ham. ParkingYellow line outside. You can park in the road down the hill.Five stars - yes, definitely. I may have to revise my five stars. In earlier days I gave five stars to really nice mid-price, good value restaurants which are friendly, cosy, filling, good food and places I'd go to regularly. But now I'm saving five stars for the truly special, like this place, the one you remember and talk about for months, years afterwards.Special Nights & PromotionsWe went to Incanto for the first time using the Financial Times lunch promotion. (Our bill was still more than £50 for two for three courses, a glass of wine or cocktail each and two coffees. Worth it. No regrets.Despite their charging nearly fifty pounds a head for Valentine's night they were fully booked. So if you want to go here next year - book early!
A User - 01/02/2009 | report this review
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