He’s only gone and done it again. Russell Norman, that is. The opening of Da Polpo, on Covent Garden’s Maiden Lane – a street largely occupied by uninspiring chain establishments, comes just a month or two since Spuntino made Soho’s porn district a place to eat and drink.

Of all his openings, Norman admits that Da Polpo is “the more accessible” – and this is reflected in both its location, its size (70 covers, split over two floors), and the fact it takes bookings. But while bigger, brighter and more airy than any of its siblings, Da Polpo is not exactly lacking in textbook Norman charm. There’s still an eat-around bar, bespoke light-fittings (some of which Norman tells me he hasn’t bothered filling in after installing in the wall), paper menus bursting with tempting plates and killer cocktails.

I kicked off proceedings with an Aperol spritz – a wonderful combination of Aperol (an Italian sort of Campari-style spirit), white wine and seltz, something which immediately took me back to a debauched weekend in Berlin, where I’d supped on the sprightly drinks at Club De Visionaere in Krauzberg. It is excellent news that Norman’s brought this Venetian classic to Londres.

And the same can be said for meatballs. These are going to be one of the main draws here – and there’s a whole section of the menu dedicated to them: classic beef and pork; lamb and mint; spaghettini and meatballs… We went for the spicy pork and fennel (£5) which came swimming in a bowl of beautiful tomato passata, and were so soft, savoury and delicious I could have eaten twice as many. Methinks Norman will be keeping that recipe close to his chest.

But really, it is all about the Piadina meatball smash (£8): mashed up meatballs of your choice stuffed between toasted pitta with oodles of stringy mozzarella.  We went for lamb and mint. And boy it was good. Rich, meaty goodness, but fresh, zingy and moist at the same time. This will be to Da Polpo what the Brick Lane slider is to Spuntino.

But those with less meat-centric tastes are also well cared for. An impossibly fresh, ripe and delectable salad of heritage tomatoes (£5) went beautifully with the classic pizzette Bianca  (£4.50), and a cicheti of grilled fennel and white anchovy was a flavour-packed little morsel:

But the stand-out for me was a dish of whole mozzarella with broad beans (£7.50). It was basically spring on a plate – the creamy, soft cheese the perfect mate for sweet, smooth broad beans and fresh, crunchy bean shoots – the whole thing drizzled with thick, grassy olive oil.

A pudding of affogati al caffe (£2.50) – a little ball of vanilla ice cream with an espresso shot poured over it is all I can manage in way of dessert, and it’s a fabulously invigorating way to round off our meal.

And so Da Polpo marks the successful spread of Russell Norman’s restaurant empire outside of Soho – where it all began. His foray into theatreland gives a dining solution for anyone who might find themselves in the Covent Garden restaurant desert (Terroirs and Les Deux Salons excepting), but it’s also worth a trip in its own right. And something tells me its not the last opening we’ll be seeing from the man who’s come to rejuvenate cool, affordable, fun dining in London.

Da Polpo
6 Maiden Lane
London Wc2 E7Na