"I discovered this venue quite by chance, more because it was in a quieter part of Westfield, away from the crazy fast-food frenzy of the food court which is menacingly dominated by now ubiquitous giants of McDonalds, KFC and Burger King. For my part I have never even heard of Simone Remoli, although I am reliably informed, according to this restaurant 's signage, that he trained in the kitchens of the finest restaurants in Rome, then decided to travel to London to 'extend his knowledge '. That strikes me as a somewhat random choice, given that he was disappointed by what he found. Apparently, that was what prompted him to open his own restaurant, which is how the company came to be. A commendable, if very unoriginal aspiration, I 'm sure. Intrigued by the 'mix match ' concept of the place, I decided to give it a try. I liked that you are able to choose your pasta and your sauce separately, and everything is neatly categorized on a set of menu boards (see pictures). In the event, to save having to make a series of choices, it was easier to order one of the special 'signature dishes ', in this case the spaghetti aglio, olio e pepperoncino (spaghetti in garlic with olive oil and chilli). I also ordered some olives and bread on the side. The bread was a selection of focaccia with an olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip (see picture), coming in at an extra £3.90. The olives were all very firm and green (see picture). also at £3.90. They were nice, but not worth the price tag. The spaghetti came with optional clams, adding another £4.90 to the £11.60 for the main dish, meaning the spaghetti alone cost £16.50! I was surprised at how quickly the pasta arrived, not having considered pasta as fast food before, but I guess it could be. To be fair the pasta was perfectly cooked (no less than I would expect) although it was only lukewarm. But it was good (see picture). The venue itself is actually quite an awkward shape, shoehorned as it is into the side of the thoroughfare, and on a kind of corner, and because of its position by the entrance it is a little drafty. Theoretically, it should be a pleasant vantage point from which to watch the passers-by, but in reality you are simply disturbed throughout your meal by an endless succession of groups of lairy and excitable youths. The chairs are all metal as well, so it isn 't an ideal venue to spend a lot of time in. With drinks, the entire bill came to £30.40 in the end. That is a lot for lunch. It is overpriced, and the portions are not overly generous, but I like the concept, so probably would return. Pass on the side dishes and extras and it would be far more palatable."
