Polpo is a lovely place in London. I have long been a fan of the Covent Garden outpost (delicious meatballs), and have even been known to frequent the Smithfield spot. Recently the restaurant has been rolling out new spots as quick as it takes for me to enjoy a gin and tonic on a summer evening- and I wasn’t convinced that was a good thing. The two newest outposts- Cambridge Circus and Duke of York Square- seemed too big and too flashy  to make for great restaurants. What I love about Polpo, originally, is that the food is great and simple- without losing the Venetian flavours it purports to represent. The small menus are appealing and diverse too- and it’s reasonably priced for what it is. I was worried that the new openings might not be able to carry this simple formula well, and buckle under the pressure to turn outrageous profits and cover the expensive rents. So I was sceptical when the Pal and I turned up without a reservation to the Duke of …