Nuovi Sapori SW6

Tuesday July 20, 2010

Moving to a new country and trying to start a restaurant can't be easy, and keeping it open is harder still.

Sergio Rodrigues even kept £100 handy for a return ticket when he first moved to Fulham, but once he met Carlo Petitto the duo managed to build a successful business.

They have been the force behind the Nuovi Sapori restaurant in New Kings Road since it opened in 2004.

Together they've built up its clientele to the extent that they are consistently ranked as one of the best Italian restaurants in Fulham by online guide Toptable and they've also been awarded a Remy-Harden Guide award.

"We have a friendly atmosphere so people keep coming back," says Sergio, 40. "Our location is very good too because people in Fulham like to go out and eat, they understand about food and they appreciate good Italian food. We do our best to please our customers."

It's hard to believe that many will leave unsatisfied, thanks to a mouth-watering menu of traditional Italian dishes.

Starters include Mediterranean prawns in white wine and garlic and chargrilled calamari, while mains range from a well-known spaghetti lobster to suckling pig or veal Milanese.

There is a host of lighter options including risotto with butternut squash and spinach and ricotta ravioli.

"Italian food is popular because it's so good; it's easy but special. You can get wonderful starters of pasta and fish and there is a large choice of dishes," says Sergio, who lives in west Kensington.

He hails from Portugal, suggesting there is a small Portuguese enclave in New Kings Road offering quality Italian food, with Emilia's Delicatessen, run by a Portuguese couple, just across the road.

"I know Emilia's from when I first moved over," says Sergio. "I never thought I'd stay and I always kept £100 for a return ticket but once I met Carlo, we started to work together. He loves his food and he encouraged me to pursue it."

Nuovi Sapori, 295 New Kings Road. Call 020 7736 3363.