Ito

This location has now closed down

Ito is one of the fancy new restaurants in the fancy new Westfield Shopping Centre (
) at Shepherd’s Bush. It’s part of the Southern Terrace, as you approach from Shepherd’s Bush tube station, in a row of eateries that’s separate from the main mall building. It’s the last one as you walk along the Terrace.
Ito is modern Mediterranean, tapas-​like portions but with some British concoctions. It’s medium-​sized with some tables for four and a long row of stools at a counter: good for accomodating single diners. The kitchen’s completely open and if you’re at the counter you can watch and listen to everything that goes on.
All the staff, from front door to wait staff, were really frindly and helpful.
The food impressed me. This isn’t normal mall fare. I had a chili squid and chorizo salad which was small, but powerfully tasty, ful of pepper and spice. The squid was in large tentacley bits and full tubes, no sliced rings: warning to those who don’t like their food to look like an animal, but just the way I like it. Tender, too. If you’re ok paying £6.50 for delicious flavour and don’t mind that it’s not a huge portion, you’ll be alright. I also had a very tasty wild boar and chimay sausage with plain mash and applesauce for £9. Again, the flavour was awesome, and more filling than it initially looked (the sausages were small, but there were six of them).
There are no courses, the dishes are served like tapas in whatever order they make them. The wine selection was quite good, and nod not bad from £2.50 to £7 per glass (but it’s only a 125ml glass, though they are those cool Riedel stemless ones).
A great place if you like classy, delicious food. Not for those looking to bust a gut on cheap eats.