“This is real, old Soho,” says Russell Norman as he leans on the bar of Spuntino. Through the window, just across the way, neon signs for ‘DVD Extra XXX’ and ‘£2 Peep show’ are offering the sort of entertainment that Soho was famous for long before Norman stormed the district, redefining London dining with his boutique Venetian/down-town Manhattan inspired eateries. Of course the location is deliberate – it’s part of Norman’s fascination with the grimy underbellies of cities and the miraculous eating and drinking dens that often populate them.

A three minute walk from Piccadilly Circus tube, Spuntino is the newest opening from a man who has become known for his individual take on cool, informal urban dining; penchant for small plates; and obsessive attention to stylistic detail. He tells me that he carried his flea market goose-head lamps that hang from the restaurant’s wall in his hand luggage back from New York; and that he consumed approximately 5000 calories a day, eating his way round the city in search of inspiration for Spuntino’s menu. “I had to,” he shrugs.

The wonderfully rusty tin roof  was also shipped over from the States, but the battered white tile walls and faded blue mosaic work that give the space such a bohemian feel were very happily uncovered during the build. So too was the alcove that now fits a high wooden table and stools. Getting a seat round that  – the only stand alone table in the snack bar – from here on in will be a near-impossible task, I’m sure.

Sitting around the large bar, we order eggplant chips (£4) and stuffed fried olives (£4) to start, and I’m thrilled by the delicate spicing of cumin and fennel that covers the sesame coated fries. They come with a fresh, zesty fennel yoghurt dip. Olives are fat, crispy and stuffed with anchovy, the perfect way to get warmed up.

Sliders follow –  ground beef and bone marrow (£4.50) and Brick Lane salt beef with pickle and Colman’s mustard (£4.50) and they are totally yumsome. The mini ground beef burger is rich and gooey with marrow, and the salt beef is seriously savoury and moreish, with a good sinus-clearing kick from the Colman’s.

A salad of rocket, beets and salted ricotta (£5.50) comes dressed in a tangy vinaigrette, the quality of the olive oil shining through, while pistachios add a lovely salty crunch. Braised chicory with speck (£6.50) is a lush, melting contrast of flavours, the bitterness of the endive cutting through the ham beautifully, while mac & cheese (£8) comes in a skillet steaming hot, topped with crispy breadcrumbs and laden with molten cheese. Chef Rachel O’Sullivan (formerly sous chef at Polpo) has dumped the béchamel to make more room for the cheese and the result is a real flavour hit that should come with an ‘stringy cheese on chin’ warning.

Desserts are certainly not an afterthought.  The Spuntino take on the famous American peanut butter and jelly sandwich (£6.50)  is, in practise, a sophisticated affair – a crisp, sweet brittle crumbled atop of a slick of salty-smooth peanut butter puree and intense raspberry jelly.  Pineapple and liquorice ice cream (£5.50) is a nice mixture of temperatures and textures – the pineapple cut into juicy, wafer thin waves and the liquorice ice cream a smooth, creamy hit of aniseed.

Stylish as it is, Spuntino certainly has culinary substance too. It’s a welcome addition to Soho and another winner from Russell Norman, but it’s smaller than both Polpo and Polpetto, and boasts ‘no telephone, no reservations’, so be prepared to queue. You could always pop in for a quick £2 peep show while you wait.