Polpo Book

Hidden in a backstreet in London's trendy Soho district, POLPO is one of the city's hottest restaurants. Critics and food enthusiasts have flocked to this unassuming bàcaro where Russell Norman serves dishes inspired by the forgotten streets of Venice. Far from the tourist traps of the famous floating city, this cuisine is characterized by simplicity, innovation, and exuberant deliciousness.

The 140 recipes in the book include caprese stacks, zucchini shoestring fries, asparagus with parmesan and anchovy butter, butternut risotto, arancini, rabbit cacciatore, warm duck salad with wet walnuts and beets, crispy little pizzas with prosciutto and rocket, scallops with lemon and mint, mackerel tartare, linguine with mussels, whole sea bass, warm squid salad, soft-shell crab in parmesan coating with fennel salad, walnut and honey semifreddo, tiramisu, bubbling bellinis, and glasses of bright orange spritz.

With brilliant photography by Jenny Zarins, capturing the unexploited corners, the lively bàcari, and the sublime canals of Venice, POLPO is a dazzling tribute to Italy's greatest hidden cuisine. The book is hardcover.