Agostino - Carlton

Cacio e pepe ravioli with truffle pecorino

My love affair with Carlton continues. More new restaurants, wine bars and cafes keep appearing in the area—tastefully refurbished and transformed—tempting me each week to dine out. This time it was Agostino that tugged hard at my sleeve. ‘It’s all in the name of research!’ I tell myself, justifying the extra money I’ve transferred (yet again) to fund my costly gastronomic projects/hobbies/indulgences. Such is the life of a foodie.

Aged parmigiano drizzled in honey

Agostino is what I envision a classy cocktail bar in New York would be like. It’s sleek, chic, intimate and moody—low-lit with shades of green and timber, soft leather and a boutique bottle shop to peruse post-feast. As a self-confessed fromage fiend, I ordered the cheese of the day: aged parmigiano with a generous drizzle of honey. It’s the tender marriage of salty and sweet; crumbly and lush. Then came the cacio e pepe ravioli with truffle pecorino: al dente handmade parcels swimming in a gold pool of cultured butter.

Tiramisu with dark chocolate, cherries and grappa

With a full belly threatening to bust my jeans, I could’ve comfortably stopped there, but then I saw the dessert menu. There it was, my favourite dolce: the irresistible tiramisu with dark chocolate shavings, cherries and grappa. With every bite a blistered, boozy cherry would burst and so would my heart.