What goes on there? A short but beautiful list of homemade pasta, all whipped up in the titular truck, now snugly in position inside the restaurant. Fiore? Why, it means ‘flower’ in Italian.
Where exactly is it? In the railway arches in Forest Gate, alongside the Ramble Cafe (formerly Tromso) and Tracks, which we do love dearly but on Friday afternoons seems to the haunt of an ear-piercing ankle-biter or ten. Still, the craft beer’s always top-notch.
What should I eat? You can start with big fat olives, or, as we did, a huge arancino, bathing in rich tomato sauce and smothered with mozzarella and smoky aubergines.
And then? The pasta is handmade daily; on our visit it was pappardelle. From a list of half a dozen sauces on the chalkboard our advice is to share two: the ‘nduja and marscapone exuded a moreish lightness that the richer pistachio pesto and confit tomatoes (pictured below), topped with a generous helping of toasted nuts, didn’t quite manage. Both were delicious and more filling than you might expect. Should you need more fat in your life, top it with a creamy burrata for another £3.50, as we saw many other diners ordering.
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The interior: discuss. Charming under-the-arches chic: bare bulbs, simple tables, some alfresco. A laidback start-of-the-weekend kinda place.
What’s the vibe like? Date night specifically; or small groups of locals and, of course, parents with sprogs, all excited to be there. Note-to-self: book upfront as we only just managed to get the last free table on a sold-out Friday night.
And what do I drink? They’ve just launched their own wine list with a new license. But on our visit it was still BYOB. It would be great if that policy was brought back – at least, say midweek – as it gives an additional reason to visit, at least from our corner of the neighbourhood.
Follow @fiore_truck for more. 429 Avenue Road E7 OLB, Tues-Sat 12-9pm.
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