POLPO A Venetian Cookbook (Of Sorts)

Tucked away in London's edgy Soho district, Polpo is one of the most irrepressibly buzzing restaurants in town. Critics and food aficionados have been flocking to this understated bacaro where Russell Norman serves up small dishesthink tapasfrom the back streets of Venice. A far cry from the tourist-trap eateries of the famous floating city, this kind of cooking is unfussy, innovative, and exuberantly delicious. The 120 recipes in this book range from salads and snacks to small main courses, drinks, and desserts, including asparagus with Parmesan and anchovy butter; warm duck salad with beets and walnuts; crispy baby pizzas with zucchini, mint and chilli; scallops with lemon and peppermint; soft-shell crab in Parmesan batter with fennel; fizzy bellinis and glasses of bright orange spritz; panacotta with poached rhubarb; and warm autumn fruits with amaretto cream. The recipes are accompanied by luminescent photography within a dazzling design, all of which capture the unfrequented corners, bustling bacari, and sublime waterways of Venice as they've never been seen before. Polpo is a dazzling tribute to Italy's greatest hidden cuisine.

Russell Norman spent a decade running several venerated London restaurants before setting up his own place in the scruffy Soho district, serving authentic Venetian cuisine. Polpowas an instant hit and has been followed in quick succession by Polpetto, da Polpo and Spuntino. Russell Norman lives in London.