Restaurant Review: Savory Settings - Business Lunch at Roberto's

In case you hadn’t noticed, austerity is here. You probably eat out a little less often than you did four or five years ago. Perhaps you go a little easier on the imported wines, too.

Along with the credit crunch, there has been a lunch crunch. Most workers now snaffle a shop-bought sandwich at their desks, rather than take the leisurely midday break or long liquid lunch of old. Even those famous foodies the French have seen their average lunch break fall from an hour and a half two decades ago to just 22 minutes. Zut alors!

Debbie Stowe

So from cash-rich and time-poor, many of us now find ourselves both cash-poor and time-poor. With its finger on the pulse of these trends, the Hilton’s Italian eatery Roberto’s promises to save you both minutes and money with a three-course business lunch for RON 75. The offer runs from noon to 3pm on weekdays and consists, according to the website, of a choice of three starters and five mains (although there were only three mains on the menu on our visit).

Play began with roast tomato and basil soup, a robust and hearty blend that had been partially pulverized but stopped short of full smoothness, giving it a rustic dash. A pesto drizzle sat atop.

Alongside it we had a light and punchy pan-roasted cuttlefish salad, an airy and well balanced mix of shavings of fennel, a sprinkling of fresh spinach leaves and cherry tomatoes. The chef wisely kept the dressing low key, allowing the mollusks to do the talking.

Roberto’s has always been big on culinary authenticity, and our two mains both showed due respect to the Italian orthodoxy. Duo of smoked fish pizza came on a wooden board and on a crispy cracker crust base, rather than the usual doughy platform. Strings of red onion, powerful rucola leaves and cherry tomatoes (again) interpolated the flavorful fish, drizzled in a dill and caper dressing. Crunch-tastic!

Similarly, grilled vegetable lasagna consisted of moist layers of zucchini, aubergine (or eggplant if you must) and peppers, soaked in a creamy pecorino sauce – with no pasta. Proper old-country stuff.

Unlike some of its competitors, Roberto’s always get the details right. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar were on our table in bottles that resembled upmarket perfume containers. The olive oil especially was divine stuff, which we rapidly depleted with the soft, moreish sunflower seed-bedecked bread sticks that were furnished and refurnished (of course, without charge).

I need not add that the décor was tasteful (following a fairly recent refurbishment), the table cloths virgin white and the service impeccable. You know that – it’s the Hilton.

The fixed dessert was cannoli (making their second consecutive appearance in this column), dinky Sicilian pastry with sweet cheese. This, coffee and water are all included in the price, so no fear of being stiffed on the extras. RON 75 means RON 75.

Because you’re not choosing a la carte, everything comes promptly and if you’re a time-pressed worker it would probably be possible to be in and out in an hour, if not as fast as France’s 22 minutes.

The offer will run for the foreseeable future and while there is – obviously – a non-smoking section, you can also take lunch on the hotel’s terrace. An agreeable environment in which to congratulate yourself on your frugalness in embracing the new austerity.

debbie.stowe@business-review.ro

Roberto’s, Athenee Palace Hilton Hotel, 1-3 Strada Episcopiei. 021 303 3777

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