Address: 5^th Avenue, 81 Granville Arcade, Brixton Village SW9 8PS

Email: info@focacciagastrobar.co.uk

Focaccia GB is a newish addition to Brixton Village although we have eaten there a couple of times before. However, this was after trips to Snugg (more later) and Champagne and Fromage, so we decided on this occasion to approach it when sober. This is a small restaurant with no space to eat inside but with tables out front. Because it is near to Snugg it can get quite loud at the end of the week with the live DJ but on this occasion it was early on a Thursday so it was quiet and there was plenty of room.

During the day Focaccia GB sells filled fresh baked focaccia and ciabatta with the bread being baked each morning. Fillings include prosciutto, tomatoes, mozzarella and salami as well as caponetta. In the evening they serve assaggini which are small plates and are presumably the same as cicchetti, which are from Venice. These are small tapas like dishes such as pasta –two types on the night we went – ravioli funghi porcini (ravioli stuffed with mushroom with butter and sage) and quadrotti ricotta spinaci (like ravioli but stuffed with ricotta and spinach with a tomato and parmesan sauce). The menu also included meatballs (beef and pork with tomato sauce) and cod with spinach and walnuts. There are also some specials on a blackboard but we now can’t remember what they are. However, there is enough to choose from and a blessedly short menu is what we like, as we don’t get overwhelmed or suffer from regret for not trying something later. They also have a dessert but you have to ask what that is each day.

We chose the two types of pasta and started with the Antipasto Italiano to share. The antipasto consisted of salami (quite peppery wrapped around a Puglia olive), sundried tomatoes, thick pesto, cheese (we don’t remember which one) and the most delicious aubergine which we would have eaten as a main course. All the antipasto sat on crisp bread which allowed you to scoop it up, although we had to resort to the fork a couple of times.

Both kinds of ravioli were soft and slid down easily and both came with a soft bread stick to wipe up the sauce. We preferred the little parcels of ricotta and spinach and our only criticism is that we would have liked more porcini in the ravioli. We washed these small plates down with small glasses red wine – one from Montepulciana and one Pugliese – both of which were good.

The staff are enthusiastic and willing to explain all the dishes so you feel you really are making the right choice. They did explain that we needed more dishes than three for a whole meal but we were not really very hungry, so stuck to three and shared each one. The bill came to £21.60 – we will definitely be going back to try the other dishes.

Address: Unit 24, Brixton Village Market, Coldharbour Lane SW9 8PR

telephone: 020 3940 2700

email: info.theagilerabbit@gmail.com

The Lapin Agile is a famous cabaret in Monmartre, Paris and was a favourite spot for poor but up and coming artists like Picasso and Modigliani. Now it has set up home as the Agile Rabbit in Brixton Village, together with its own nightly cabaret for the poor artists of Brixton. It is a small pizza house in Brixton Village sited near a couple of good fishmongers, so the smell pervades but only while you are waiting with a beer. As soon as the food arrives or the music starts you are in Naples (except for the cold). That is something they have thought about at Agile Rabbit. There is a heater and blankets for those who, on a Saturday night and indoors, can’t bear to remove their scarf let alone their jacket to eat their meal. It is small with tables and benches inside and as with all the Brixton Village eateries one’s spilling out into the alleyway outside.

Menus are limited to what they do best – pizza and calzone. Pizzas come large, very thin and crispy and with a choice of toppings including the usual – pepperoni, anchovies, olives and capers. The extras are very cheap (40 or 60 p each) so that you are tempted to add more and more. Calzone are more varied with several items in one lovely italian cornish pasty. The main difference between the pizza and calzone is not just the price and the fact you can’t see the toppings – the main difference is that the calzone comes with a plate and a knife and fork whereas the  pizza is pre-cut and on a piece of grease proof paper. We got the a mixed vegetable one which was good but they need to learn that the temperature inside a calzone is not as hot as for a pizza so the vegetables need to be cut up smaller – the couple of halved button mushrooms I found were edible but only after I had worked out what they were. We also had a pizza which was delightful. For dessert we had a piece of their famous tart between the two of us. This tart has won prizes and we could see why. It was a sort of buttery, nutty frangipan with pecans – but neither of us can remember what it was called… However there’s a big sign advertising it so we don’t think you’ll forget to order it.

Drinks are soft (fresh juice or the usual fizzy drinks), warm (good coffee) or alcoholic (beer, wine and cider as well as rum). It was a very cold Saturday night so we had beer which was equally cold but we thought after a while we wouldn’t care. Service is swift, friendly and accommodating and the music – yes live music – was not so loud we couldn’t speak and wasn’t too much like the jazz I dislike. It appears that music is on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The turnover is relatively high with people moving on and food served quickly so it is relatively easy to get a seat even on a Saturday night. This is also not an expensive meal about £12.00 per person including a drink. The calzone were a definite bargain at only £4.00-5.00 each. We can’t vouch for the wine but plenty of people were drinking it.  That together with good food and a congenial atmosphere means we will return.