"BEAUTIFUL BUCATINI CARBONARA"

I popped into Jamie's Italian Kitchen in Covent Garden today, as I needed some lunch, and it was right next door to where I was meant to be in an hours time.  Apparently this is the flagship London location.  From my seat I could see The Ivy, but no celebs.  So after a quick skim of the menu, I plumped for the "BEAUTIFUL BUCATINI CARBONARA" at £10.25 for the main sized portion.  The menu describes this dish as "Tubular spaghetti with crispy fried smoked pancetta and ribbons of leek, tossed with eggs, thyme and Parmesan cheese."  I'd never had bucatini before, and my Italian isn't great, so I wasn't terribly sure how to pronounce it.  But hey, looks like I got it right.  The dish arrived, and I proceeded to try and consume it without getting any on my suit and tie - I had an interview in an hour, was this a brave choice I began to think?  The pasta was nicely al dente, and it was a nicely sized and tasted fresh, and well put together.  Nothing out of the ordinary, and maybe just about worth the tenner it cost.  Having never had bucatini before, I was unaware of the slight issue regarding how to actually eat it.  I attempted to suck it into my mouth, much like one would with spaghetti - but of course, since there's a hole all the way through the pasta, it's more like a straw.  With a little adaptation of technique, I managed not to go hungry.  To drink, I stuck with the iced tap water which was delivered as I was seated (nice that I didn't have to ask - an American touch perhaps?  Or is that just good service?  I forget.)

The table at the front of this pic is where I sat.  There really wasn't enough room for the diners at the tables behind and in front of me.  So much so, that one pair attempted to sit behind me for a few minutes, then asked to be reseated - I assume due to their cramped conditions.  I'm lucky I was solo, otherwise there's no way we would have all fitted. [Image Copyright Jamie's Italian Kitchen]