La Rugoletta Italian Restaurant - Such a lovely evening

La Rugoletta Italian Restaurant. Photos by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Italian cuisine. Notice the green rocket motif.

Problem
Where to go for an evening meal in London. Indian or Italian? We looked at three restaurants. All seemed good.

The interior has paintings, wine bottles and flowers on the tables.

Answer
But when our wine buff saw that the Italian restaurant offered BYO, Bring Your Own bottle of alcohol, that clinched the decision.

La Rugoletta has two branches. The one which was nearest to our friends was closed. We didn't mind. I thought the smaller restaurant looked as if it had basic chairs. Were the seats and back broad enough for me. Never mind. We visited the larger, more chic restaurant.

We found parking free in the road outside after 6.30 pm, providing that you watch out for the double yellow lines on corners and other no go areas and read the signs.

One of the two smiling waitresses came forward to greet us immediately and showed us to our table. The place settings already set up with knives and forks and napkins and the menu, water glasses and wine glasses.

My trip to the ladies put me in a good mood from the start. It was conveniently nearby on the ground floor, no trip upstairs, nor down to a basement nor round the back of a building. It was spotlessly clean, white and gleaming chrome. Looked like it was installed yesterday.

For starters we ordered ravioli. It proved pleasing to look at and a satisfying taste and texture.

My main course was the classic chicken with white sauce and mushrooms and saute potatoes. I was in heaven.

The portions were large, large enough for me to have some wrapped up to take home.

We shared desserts. The chocolate soufflé eclipsed the other chocolate dessert, which as Okay, just not quite as zingy and moreish.

We had a candle on the table. And two roses.

Coffee came with a wrapped biscuit. I didn't have coffee. But I ate the biscuit!

At the end of the evening, I noticed a lady sitting at the back. I recognized her from the restaurant's website which I had looked at earlier in the day.

My first question to her was, what does La Rugoletta mean?

It means rocket, a variety of lettuce, which you see pictured on the front of the restaurant menu. Rocket has a peppery flavour.

I had been looking for a translation of the word on the internet earlier in the day without success. The usual Italian word for rocket is rucola. Rugoletta is Napolitan dialect. (From Naples, Italy.)

My other questions was: why does La Rugoletta offer BYO? We found BYO at restaurants all over New Zealand. BYO is much rarer in London, England, and other cities outside New Zealand.

The husband and wife team opened their first small restaurant intending to apply for the 'liquor license' as Americans would say. But customers were so keen on BYO that the restaurant stayed that way. The system suited both management and customers.

When they opened their second, larger, restaurant, they applied for the liquor license and you can order a sweet dessert wine with your dessert. However, you still have the option of BYO.

When we left the two young waitresses, one of whom was Romanian, had run to stand either side of the gate to smile at us and say goodbye and thank you.

La Rugoletta,
308 Ballards Lane,
Finchley
London
N12 0EY
Tel:+44 (0)208 445 6742
www.la-rugoletta.com

Lovely lights at Edgware's Broadwalk Shopping Mall

Problem
Where to park in Edgware? It's free on Sunday but quite pricey in the week. You have to decide whether to park in the supermarket's car park or the long stay car park. We were travelling into town and opted for the long stay and assumed we might be longer than expected. We were stuck in traffic jams at the cross roads, and feared that we would not find a space.

Answer
We successfully parked at Edgware car park behind the bus and train station and the Broadwalk Shopping centre for over four hours (cost £4).

Story
I lived in Edgware as a child, with fond memories of eating cannelloni in Dino's every Saturday lunch time with my mother. Alas Dino's has now gone. Edgware now has Nando's and several other restaurants.
In the centre of the car park was an illuminated Xmas tree. Only later, after pausing to take a photograph, did I realise that it changed colour. First I thought it was blue, which looked odd. I assumed it was either Israeli colours, or politically correct.

However, when we returned later in the day, the tree had turned rad.

We drove around the car park and saw it again at another angle. Was it really the same tree? It was white.

Having paid for long-term parking, in order to have lunch in central London, we had time to go shopping on the way back. We then discovered that with the winter lights, the shopping centre is very attractive.

The lights within the shopping mall also change colour, red, magenta, green blue, white, and multi-coloured. Angels in white are at the corner of the central area which has a Costa in the middle.

The shopping mall has a handy mix of shops, ranging from Poundland to Marks and Spencer, Smiths, and Boots. Sainsbury's is at the back.

Tip
1 Poundland has two queues for payment. The one on the left is for self-service checkout.
2 Check for the current free car parking hours - parking used to be free on Sundays.
3 Remember to validate your car park ticket at the machine before driving out. You cannot pay at the exit point. The barrier lifts when you insert a ticket which has been validated.
4 B & K restaurant, my favourite place in Edgware, is closed on Monday. Check their opening times (which varying seasonally according to holidays).
B and K Salt Beef Bar, 11 Lanson House, Whitchurch Ln, Edgware, London HA8 6NL
Phone:020 8952 8204

Action
For opening times, see their website:
www.thebroadwalkcentre.co.uk/

The pictures in this post are of the inside and from the car park at the back.
My photo in a previous post shows a Christmas tree at the front of the mall.
All photos by Angela Lansbury, copyright 2016.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.