Festival season is upon us and our Chef Patron Jamie Halsall is doing the rounds and showcasing his skills. Feast on authentic Italian food whilst you listen to incredible live music acts, what more could you want?
Cin Cin and Chef Jamie are pleased to announced we’ll be at Pub in the Park at Preston Park, Brighton, from 14-16 July 2023. Hosted by legendary chef Tom Kerridge, who will be on site that weekend. We will be serving up a delicious menu and Jamie will be running a chef demonstration showcasing some irresistible dishes over at The Live & Cooking Zone at The Firepit on the Saturday afternoon. He will be cooking an Italian dish over hot coals – al fresco style, giving you the perfect inspiration for summer barbecues.
We will also be running a pop up restaurant stand alongside other Sussex brands including The Chilli Pickle & Pitch by Kenny Tutt, as well as Tom Kerridge’s Hand & Flowers plus The Kentish Hare and Brindisa Tapas. Check out our menus below and come and find us serving up a storm at this brilliant festival. This event is perfect for families, foodie lovers and anyone who enjoys live music and lazing in the summer sun.
So why not indulge in some summer fun and eat and dance your way around the biggest food and music festival tour in the UK. You can see the likes of the Sugababes, Soul II Sound System, Judge Jules, Norman Jay, The Brand New Heavies and The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club and so much more!
Tickets are on sale now. You can book tickets here: Pub In The Park Tickets and Dates 2023 (seetickets.com)
We can’t wait to see you there!
We’re excited to announce our series of feasts of Italy – La Festa – exploring the regions of the food capital of the world. Join us to navigate you through four courses of Italian cuisine like a local, starting with antipasto, onto primo, then secondo and always finishing with something sweet.
Our feasts of Italy will be packed with flavour, full of fresh ingredients and a celebration of everything the region has to offer.
Our first stop is Rome on Wednesday 24th May at 7pm. Our four courses for £48 will take you on a whistle-stop tour of the culinary delights the Eternal City has to offer. Read on for the full menu and to book your place.
Our antipasti course includes Suppli cacio e pepe – Rome’s ultimate fried street food, a rice-filled fritter not to be confused with the classic arancino. Followed by our primo pasta dish of Bigoli all’Amatriciana. As the name suggests, the origin is the city of Amatrice in the far northern reaches of Rome’s region of Lazio.
The secondi of Porchetta with herbed quinto-quarto stuffing is a nod to the ancient Roman ‘nose to tail’ approach of using every part of the pig.
And to finish we have a Crostata ricotta e visciole, a shortcrust pastry pie filled with layers of visciole (sour cherries) and sweetened ricotta. Originating from the Jewish quarter, to this day you can still enjoy it in Rome’s Jewish ghetto bakeries.
We look forward to welcoming those of you who can make our first in these series of La Festa dinners on Wednesday 24th May. Book using the links below. And if you can’t make this one we hope you can make one of our next up regional dinners – Palermo, Bologna, or Venice – in this regional trip around the food capital of the world.
*Please note on the dates of the regional dinners our current Chef’s Menu will be unavailable and instead our La Festa Regional Chef’s Menu will be available.
With the cost of living spiralling out of control, we’re doing all we can to continue to keep Cin Cin the accessible, neighbourhood restaurant we always wanted it to be. A special place that you can enjoy at least every month, or even every week. We want to continue to deliver on that promise, even during these toughest of times.
Prices are going up and up, month on month. Latest figures show food price inflation at 16.2%, the worst it has been for 45 years. We’re all feeling the strain. And we can see that PWC recently reported that almost 50% of diners have either stopped or reduced the amount they eat out.
At Cin Cin, we feel that pressure too. Let’s start with the rising costs of all the ingredients that go into our dishes and the increases we have seen this last year, to name but a few:
And the utilities to keep our lights on, the kitchen running and coffee machines grinding, we have been quoted a rise of almost 400% from spring next year. If that’s the reality, it will literally be very hard to keep the lights on.
Cin Cin has always been proud to be a Living Wage employer, but with increased inflation, this means an increase in our wage bill (up over 10% in April and the same again is forecast for this April).
So, whilst we do have to review our menu prices month to month to keep up with the steep rise in costs, we’re doing whatever we can to absorb as much of this as possible so we can continue to deliver on our promise. Back in September, we brought back £10 Tuesdays at both our restaurants. That’s £10 for a handmade pasta dish and a glass of wine or beer, served by our wonderful team, all for just £10. We have a great value lunch offer at both restaurants this Xmas – 2 courses for £22 or 3 courses for £30. Perfect for a catch up with friends or a casual business lunch. Also available at both our restaurants. And coming into the festive season, we are offering a free glass of L’Occhiolino sparkling Lambrusco on arrival when you dine with us between 3pm and 5:30pm.
So, whilst we are all feeling the pressure, we still want as many customers as possible to enjoy a meal at Cin Cin. So pop by when you can, we’d love to see you.
David, Jamie & Team Cin Cin x
“Fitzrovia’s got a banging new spot for a bite of Italian food in the sun. Cin Cin opened last year and it boasts an outdoor terrace where you can dine out on seasonal small plates and fresh handmade pasta dishes, aperitifs and wines from across the boot of Italy. With an ever-changing menu to suit the season, expect Jersey Rock oysters with Giacomo sauce, Pappardelle verdi and clams, Arancino of beef shin & peperonata, seabass with gnocchi and Portland crab & Trombetta courgettes, all washed down with unique twists on classic cocktails. Bon appetit! cincin.co.uk”
GQ | Ten coolest things to do in London this week
In collaboration with TFL London we have the below offer available at Cin Cin Fitzrovia throughout August!
Special offer: a glass of Prosecco and one limoncello per person who orders a minimum of two dishes from the menu. This offer is available throughout August 2022, quote ‘TfL Summer Campaign’ when booking.
“In need of a Mediterranean getaway? Head to Cin Cin’s brand new Italian terrace for a delightful aperitif under the summer sun. It might not be a cosy bar on a cobbled street in Sardinia… but it’s pretty close.
Alongside a new summer makeover, Cin Cin have a special al fresco menu that boasts the likes of Arancino of white crab with brown crab aioli, and crispy calabrese chicken wings. Wash down with an Aperol Spritz or three. Yum.”
Fantastic things to do in London in August | Londonxlondon
After hosting our first brunch at Cin Cin Fitzrovia this weekend, in collaboration with L’Occhiolino Sparkling Red, from Laithwaites, we are super excited that we have been featured in so many great London guides!
“Sparkling red wine may raise a few eyebrows as it’s first uttered – but pair a few chilled glasses of it with the brunch of dreams and you’ll be won round before you can say Saluti. The latest Italian tipple on the block, L’Occhiolino, has joined forces with Cin Cin Fitzrovia for an extra special weekend of feasting. Think freshly baked focaccia, house-cured sea trout with olive oil crushed potatoes and courgette flower fritti stuffed with truffled ricotta; just save room for a hearty slice of the orange polenta cake littered with roast apricots and Amaretto crema.”
Conde Nast Traveller | Things to do in London
“You can hardly ever find it, it’s gorgeous and it is basically the taste of summer and we don’t care what anyone says, even that Olly on Saturday Kitchen who does the wines.
It is chilled and sparkling Italian red wine – yes! Red! – and it hits not only the spot, but many spots, especially when sloshed out to accompany some top-level Italian nosh.
That’s what will be happening at Cin Cin, the cutest Italian restaurant in Fitzrovia, who are partnering up with L’Occhiolino – only available from Laithwaites, the wine people – for a limited edition brunch affair. Food-wise, expect cured sea trout, courgette flower fritti, Bacon alla Giacomo but make sure you leave plenty of room for that delicious L’Occhiolino.”
“Meaning ‘the wink’ in Italian, L’Occhiolino is the kind of wine that’s served from under the counter, that off-menu gem. It’s made from some of the oldest grape varieties in Italy that are relatively unknown outside the country. Unusually combining a deep ruby red colour and light froth of bubbles, this sparkler is lighter than typical Italian sparkling wine and the perfect choice for brunches and summer dining. Typically enjoyed by the trend-setters of Bologna, this authentic and delicious sparkling red has now arrived in the UK.
Originally founded in Hove, Cin Cin Fitzrovia launched in 2021. A small and intimate neighbourhood Italian restaurant, with 20 seats inside and 20 plus outside on a south facing corner with lots of afternoon sun, it’s perfect for al fresco dining this summer.
Menus include the a la carte or chef’s tasting menu, that can be enjoyed with an accompanying flight of wine.”
“It was only on Thursday that I let my hair down a little over lunch at my new favourite restaurant, Cin Cin, a laidback Fitzrovia Italian where I had a cold beer and then a carafe of white and a carafe of red with excellent carciofi alla giudia, stuffed courgette flowers, salumi and a terrific lobster fettucine with… Oh, wait, lobster, there you go – that could have been it. “
We are so proud to announce that Jamie Halsall will be undertaking a year long apprenticeship focusing on Mental Health Leadership in Hospitality in association with The Opportunity Group. The course is conducted by The Burnt Chef Project, an initiative launched in May 2019 with the sole intention of eradicating mental health stigma within hospitality.
The apprenticeship focuses on mental health training, performing effective appraisals, problem solving, essentials of leadership, driving cultural change, team dynamics and coaching and feedback. Jamie will end the course with all of the tools and knowledge to better support our staff members and enhance Cin Cin as a workplace.
The programme focuses on creating mentally healthy workplaces and bridges the gap in leadership knowledge on workplace mental health which is crucial, particularly in the hospitality industry.
We work hard to ensure Cin Cin is a positive work environment, we like our staff to feel valued, respected and secure which is why we are continually looking for opportunities such as this apprenticeship, that help make Cin Cin an attractive workplace.
Vegan potato & mint Curlugiones with tomato fondue
These rustic Sardinian pasta dumplings look a lot like Cornish pasties and are just as delicious and versatile – perfect for Veganuary. This recipe serves 3-4.
Ingredients
Filling
350g yellow potatoes
2 tablespoons of extra virgin oil
1 glove of garlic, grated
Handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
Dough
150g semolina
1 tablespoon of extra virgin oil
1 pinch of sea salt
To serve
1 tin of good peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon of extra virgin oil
1 pinch of sea salt
Handful of basil leaves
Method
1. Start with the filling. Boil the potatoes in well salted water, drain well and peel them by hand while still warm. Pass them through a ricer or mouli (or use a masher if you do not have either). Mix through the EVO, mint, garlic salt and pepper. Cover and cool in the fridge for at least 30 mins.
2. Next make the dough. Mix all the ingredients by hand or using a stand mixer, this will take a good 5 mins of firm kneading to get a smooth, even dough. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest for 30 mins.
3. Roll out the dough with a pasta machine or rolling pin, adding a little flour if needed, to get to 1-2mm thickness. Use a highball glass to cut discs in the dough then take a walnut sized piece of the filling and place it in the centre of the disc. Pick up the disc in your left hand and use your right hand to fold and pleat the dough to encase the filling – lots of videos on YouTube if you get stuck on this bit! Once made, these will keep in the fridge for 2 days if needed and freeze well too.
4. For the tomato sauce, slowly cook the tomatoes with the extra virgin oil and salt until they have collapsed – use the potato masher if you like or you can blitz in the blender if you prefer a smoother finish.
5. When ready to cook, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, gently drop the curlugiones in and cook for 2-3 mins until they rise to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and place into the warm tomato sauce. Stir to coat and serve with basil leaves.