Gastronomes Do The Truffle Shuffle To Jermyn Street

Of all the most indulgent gastronomic pleasures, the white truffle is pre-eminent. As truffle prices command an ever-increasing premium, Chef Paolo Parlantti and General Manager Jason Phillips of Franco’s Italian Restaurant on Mayfair’s Jermyn Street, are offering ‘truffle-by-the-gram’ for the brief September truffle season.

You can opt for gram(s) of the elusive white alba truffle weighed and shaved directly onto your plate with all the panache, paraphernalia and drama you would expect from an exceptional Italian chef.

Priced according to their weight and colour, white truffles remain exclusive to Italy. Hence Paolo’s ‘Piemonte Pilgrimage’ - his annual quest to source the finest white truffle for discerning Mayfair diners.

The hunt for this elusive treasure has all the elements of an espionage thriller; there have been gunfights, thefts, smuggling, swindling and mysterious disappearances of highly trained dogs in this nocturnal quest for gastronomic gold.

Chef Paolo Parlantti said: “Truffles have a penetrating, faintly garlicky aroma and an intense flavour. In Italy they are generally served on risotto or pasta in paper thin slices but they are extremely versatile. They are as good on a breakfast of scrambled egg as they are on Carpaccio and particularly decadent in buttered mash potatoes.”

Franco’s Italian Restaurant is located at 63 Jermyn Street, London, SW1Y 6LX.