Last Sunday was glorious. It was warm, sleepy and we had no plans whatsoever. B and I are not suited to stillness so we made a spontaneous decision to go to Cottesloe and stop in at il Lido for a late lunch.
It had been quite a while since we last visited but I had fond memories of this place. Our visit this time around didn’t disappoint. B chose the linguine with crab, chilli, confit garlic and tomato. Before he even tasted it, we both remarked how delightful it smelled. The house made linguine was perfectly al dente. The crab was sumptuous and paired with the tomato and chilli effortlessly.
I chose from the Antipasti selection – scallops with green beans, cacciatore, crème fraiche and crumbs. I was contemplating how many scallops I would get and was thrilled when four plump scallops arrived (hidden fairly well in this photo). This dish was so moreish. The flavours were punchy and worked really well together. All you need to be happy is this dish and a glass of Prosecco.
Il Lido serves Italian food with a modern twist, done simply yet achingly good. It’s an interesting space, the outside dining area has a casual beach side vibe and inside, wine bottles line the walls between rows of long communal tables. Rubbing shoulders with fellow diners might not appeal to everyone but the communal setting does create a lively atmosphere when the place is full. We will be back again soon I’m sure.
Love Il Lido, loads of fresh produce, modernised Italian hearties and best of all a lot of gluten free options!