The Applebees family has forged a strong reputation in London over the years, and now after turning a cherished fish stall in Borough market to a permanently fixtured restaurant, it's bringing something a little less British to the city. This new venture is tucked away at the bottom of Royal Festival Hall, where La Gamba shines a ray of light on what is otherwise a soulless stretch of tourist-geared eateries.
On arriving, our first challenge comes from trying not to be lured into taking a seat at the impressive terrace as you pass through to the restaurant. Easier to resist in the winter months, but we imagine a difficult job when London’s in its prime and the sun is shining. Having successfully made it to our table, challenge number two comes from narrowing down what to pick from such an inviting menu.
We kick things off with a stream of tapas favourites, like Iberico croquettes, smoked sea salt padron peppers and some olives for good measure - which were subtly spiced and exceptionally large. Of course, keen to try some seafood from one of the city’s leading authorities, we eagerly tuck into mussels cooked with chorizo and Albariño, as well as prawns cooked in chilli, garlic and oil. The octopus carpaccio was incredibly light, but perhaps slightly overpowered by the salsa garnish on top. Not to ignore the vegan offering, we also delved into roasted Jerusalem artichoke, which came with pistachios and a cashew puree so creamy it's hard to believe it's plant-based.
However, it was the dessert that had us waking up the following morning still thinking about La Gamba. The torrijas, in particular, left an imprint on our hearts that had us debating a recipe request from the chef. What was essentially french toast came in the form of a pillowy soft brioche, with a caramelised top, some cinnamon spiced biscuit crumb, and smooth vanilla ice cream. We welcome this new addition to the neighbourhood, and can only hope this encourages a much-needed ripple effect of independent restaurants along the Southbank.