Olivo Restaurant, Ryde

There are quite a few restaurants on Ryde's Union Street, but not all are serving food at 5.30pm. My son and I couldn't risk missing the last hovercraft of the day back to Southsea and we noticed that Olivo was open and seemed to have an interesting menu.

The area at the front of the restaurant has some low coffee tables and dark brown leather sofas for those just having a drink and a light bite. There are also some dining tables, but we were led through this area and seated at a small table just beside the bar. To the back was a further dining area at a slightly lower level.

When we were seated we were each given a standard menu as well as one to share showing the day's specials; as it was Sunday these included roast lamb. Olivo, however, is primarily a Mediterranean restaurant and has an excellent choice of pasta, risotto and pizza. Prices range from £7.95 for lasagne or moussaka to £11.95 for risotto Valencia (chicken, chorizo and mixed seafood with saffron rice, garlic and chili). There are fourteen varieties of pizza: a margherita is £7.25, but if you prefer a pizza without cheese you might go for an Adriatica with prawns, tomatoes, garlic, chili and fresh spinach at £9.50. Olivo also offers grills and main courses such as chicken tagine, falafel, duck, lamb, beef, venison, pork or locally caught fish. Prices in this section range from £10.95 to £14.95. We both ordered pasta, my son going for spinach and ricotta tortelloni whilst I was intrigued enough to choose the spaghetti eglefino with smoked haddock, broccoli, fresh tomatoes and a white wine sauce. I usually avoid spaghetti as I am not an expert at twirling it round a fork, but I had never come across this particular dish before and I love smoked haddock.

Olivo does also have a good selection of starters and tapas; as well as individual dishes there is a tapas tower for two consisting of meatballs, chicken wings, chorizo and pepper, patatas bravas, houmus and fried spicy calamari for £24.50. Side dishes are around £2.50 to £3.95 and include salads, vegetables and various potato dishes. Salad main meals are priced between £9 and £10 and are served with freshly baked dough balls. We contented ourselves, however, with a main course and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice each.

We waited around fifteen minutes before our food was served. The waitress asked if we would like any fresh black pepper, and I said I would. I had wondered whether the broccoli and tomato would go together as it seemed like a strange combination, but it worked. I loved the smoked haddock, which I hadn't had with pasta before, and the white wine sauce was delicious without being too rich. I often can't finish a pasta dish in a restaurant, but this was so good that I left an empty plate. My son was equally impressed with his tortelloni which was served with tomato and some fresh salad leaves on top.

Neither of us had room for dessert but we had half an hour to spare so my son ordered a hot chocolate and I asked for a decaffeinated capuccino. I never have great expectations of decaffeinated coffee, but the one I had at Olivo was perfect. It had a full flavour without being overly strong. My son said his hot chocolate was extremely good too – he was offered cream with it but declined.

Apart from the food and the coffee, I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and the décor at Olivo. Tables and chairs are of a light wood which is also used in the roof alongside panels of glass. The walls are part open brickwork and part painted in a light cream colour. In two places a huge roll of brown paper was fixed high up on the wall, and the end was pulled down so that a list of cocktails could be written out. There are large candles on each table, and one or two floral displays add colour to the restaurant. When we arrived Spanish music was playing which switched to Nitin Sawhney later on.

I was so impressed with the restaurant that I asked one of the waitresses if it existed only on the Isle of Wight. She told us that there had been a branch in Newport (Isle of Wight) for about four years and that the one in Ryde was just coming up to its first birthday. She also said that there is an Olivo restaurant in London, but that it is much more upmarket than the ones on the Isle of Wight. When I said that it was a shame there was no Olivo in Portsmouth, she told us that the company has a cafe called Feed in the Gunwharf Quays area, so I shall definitely be tracking that down.

Our bill came to just over £28 to which we added a tip. The service had been faultless as it was polite, welcoming and extremely efficient.

The main toilets are down a few steps but there is a disabled toilet on the same level as the main dining area. There were two ladies' toilets that were self contained with handbasins, and a vase of fresh flowers added a beautiful touch.

The restaurant is open from 8am and the full menu is served from midday. On weekdays during term time Olivo offers an 'After School Family Feast' from 3.30pm until 5.30pm. The price is £10 for adults and £6 for children under the age of sixteen. There are five choices of main course, most of which come with a bowl of salad and some with garlic bread as well. Included is a soft drink for children and a glass of house wine for adults. I haven't heard of this idea before and wonder if it will catch on in other places.

I have to say that this is one of the best Italian meals I've ever had, and I enjoyed the whole experience of dining at Olivo. I have no reservations in recommending the restaurant, and only wish there were more branches on the mainland. It caters for those just wanting a sandwich or a pastry and a hot drink as well as those wanting a three-course meal. Young children are obviously made to feel welcome here, and high chairs are available. If you are in Ryde, I would definitely suggest finding the time to visit Olivo.

Olivo

32-33 Union Street

Ryde

Isle of Wight

PO33 2LE

Tel. 01983 611118

www.olivorestaurant.com

Piccolino Restaurant, Bristol

Piccolino is an Italian restaurant on Broad Weir in Bristol's Cabot Circus shopping area. We arrived there about 5pm one Saturday afternoon, which was certainly a quiet time. There were five of us, and while final preparations were made to our table our coats were taken and all put together on one hanger. We were given an identifying plastic disc for their retrieval.

Our table was a round one by a floor-to-ceiling window; there were several tables just outside on the pavement but they weren't being used as there had been several heavy showers of rain during the day. The tables are black with a marble effect and are laid in a functional and stylish way with linen napkins, but there are no floral decorations. Chairs are comfortable with green padded seats and backrests. At the back of the restaurant the food is prepared in an open kitchen; unfortunately I was sitting with my back to it so I missed out on the preparation. There is a further dining area upstairs as well as a private function room.

Menus for starters, main courses and wine are presented on a single laminated A3 size sheet. Various choices of bread are priced between £3.50 and £4.50. Antipasti, or starters, range from olives at £3.35 to carpaccio at £8.85; there are a couple of vegetarian choices as well as mussels and squid. We all agreed that we would forego starters and content ourselves with a main course.

A waitress soon came to take our drinks order. I ordered a pineapple juice that actually tasted more like mixed tropical juice, but it was pleasant enough. The other four decided to share a bottle of wine and chose the Sicilian Grecanico Roccamora for £14.25. This was a dry white wine which everyone approved of.

Main courses start with either mozzarella or Caesar salad. The Al Forno (oven-baked) section includes fish, chicken, duck and pasta dishes ranging in price from £9 to £17.55. Chargrill and pan choices start with a burger for £9 and go all the way up to skewered king prawns, scallops and swordfish for £16.25. Two steaks are offered: a 10-oz rib-eye at £17.75 or an 8-oz fillet steak at £20.50. Two of our party chose from the pizza section. One went for the rustica (£10) which has roast Mediterranean vegetables and goat's cheese with rocket, basil pesto and parmesan toppings. The other chose pollo parmigiano (£10): chargrilled chicken, buffalo mozzarella, vine-ripened tomatoes, torn basil and shaved parmesan are the toppings. Another two ordered fresh pasta, which is made with organic durum wheat and free-range eggs. The choices were fusilli with smoked salmon, peas, asparagus, spinach leaves and lemon and herb mascarpone (£11) and penne all'arrabiata with spicy sausage, roasted red peppers and tomato sauce (£9.50). I picked a zucca risotto with roast pumpkin, Italian smoked bacon and gorgonzola cheese (£10). My son had originally asked for a salsiccia risotto with Italian sausage, braised fennel and tarragon (£10), but the waitress apologised that this was no longer available as they had been extremely busy at lunch time. Side dishes of various vegetables, chips, mash, salad and so on are priced between £3.10 and £3.50. We didn't feel the need to order any of these.

While we were waiting for our food serrated knives were brought for those having pizza, and all the extra cutlery was removed as we had not ordered starters. It was about fifteen minutes before our main courses were served. Freshly grated parmesan was offered, but my younger son was the only one who decided to have some on his penne pasta. This had plenty of tomato sauce, but the spicy sausage seemed quite hard to spot amongst the pasta. The pizzas were large with thin bases; toppings looked very generous. My risotto came with two small, crisp rashers of bacon crossed on top. It didn't look like the most exciting dish, but it certainly wasn't lacking on flavour. I love the bite of gorgonzola cheese, and the pumpkin was a more subtle flavour that complemented this well. The rice was cooked to a firm consistency that is perfect for a risotto. The male members of the group polished off every bit of their pizzas and pasta, but my younger son's girlfriend and I were both beaten before reaching the end of our pasta and risotto dishes. We all agreed that the food was excellent.

Desserts are rather on the pricey side, but I can't comment on the quality as we did not sample them. Ice creams and sorbets are all £5.15. Other choices include tiramisu, panna cotta, fig and pear tart or chocolate fudge pudding; the most expensive one is vanilla cheesecake with citrus blueberries at £6.45. You could share six chocolate truffles for £3.35 as a cheaper alternative if you didn't have room for a full dessert.

There is a disabled toilet on the ground floor, but the main toilets are on the upper floor. The ladies was very clean and well appointed. Hand cream was supplied alongside the liquid soap dispensers.

Our bill came to just over £72, to which we added a tip. A service charge of ten per cent is added automatically for groups of six or more people. The service was very good – polite and efficient – although nobody came to ask if everything was to our satisfaction while we were eating.

Piccolino is certainly superior to the usual Italian chain restaurants, but also of course more expensive. Its location is a very central one, and we walked there from the harbourside in about fifteen minutes. There is no shortage of restaurants to choose from in the Cabot Circus area, but if you like good Italian food Piccolino is definitely worth a visit.

Opening hours are from 11.30am until 11.30pm Monday to Saturday, and 11.30am until 10.30pm on Sunday.

Broad Weir

Cabot Circus

Bristol

BS1 3BZ

Tel. 0117 929 3255

www.piccolinorestaurants.co.uk

Rosie's Vineyard

Who would have thought that just along from Tesco Express and Ken's Kebabs would lie one of Southsea's best restaurants? But close to Elm Grove traffic lights, five minutes from the shopping precinct and less than a mile from the seafront, Rosie's Vineyard nestles between Nico's Cafe and an office furniture shop. You would not suspect that the narrow, original shopfront with its stained-glass window panes was the entrance to a jewel of a restaurant that could outdo any on the more select location of Osborne Road or the waterfront at Portsmouth's Gunwharf Quays.

My first visit was on a Monday evening, and I would say that any restaurant that's full at the beginning of the week must be worth its salt. Deciding on the spur of the moment to have dinner there one Saturday, I suggested going early as I knew how crowded it would be later on. Five thirty might seem a strange time for an evening meal, and we actually had the place to ourselves for the first hour. I noticed that every single table had a reserved sign on it, but ours was free until 9pm so there was no rush.

We were given a table on the ground floor alongside the bar; appearances really are deceptive, as there is a raised level at the back of the restaurant as well as a good number of tables in the basement. The tables are very basic plain wood, and most of the chairs look as though they might be cast-offs from an old church, having a place in the back for a hymn book. It probably sounds uncomfortable, but after the two hours that we spent there that was the last thing on my mind.

The waiting staff all seem to be very young, possibly students; I haven't seen any sign of a manager on either occasion. They are relaxed, polite, friendly, never intruding or rushing you. Menus and a wine list were brought, along with a slip of paper detailing the day's specials. We had decided that we would limit ourselves to a main course, so I can't unfortunately comment on starters or desserts. Starters on offer included free range pork grillette with red onion and port relish, mussels, spiced Shetland Isle crab gumbo, mixed mezze with warm pitta bread, and roasted Capricorn goat's cheese with wild rocket and tomato and basil confit.

On a previous occasion for main course I had chosen roasted vegetable tagine with cumin and coriander couscous; not actually being a vegetarian, I decided to try fish this time. The choice was between whole roasted sea bass (one of the specials) or seared salmon fillet with saffron roasted potatoes and salsa verde. The salmon just seemed to have the edge. Since leaving home, my son has developed a taste for butternut squash (it's something I never thought of cooking), and liked the sound of the squash and leek pithivier with new potatoes. Neither of us had ever had pithivier, but I remembered seeing Rick Stein make an onion one once on his journey through France, so I knew basically what it was. My son's partner had no hesitation whatsoever in ordering the Spanish spiced free-range sausages with fresh herb crushed potatoes. We ordered a bottle of house red and sat talking to the accompaniment of Dido.

I should mention that Rosie's, being a winebar as well as a restaurant, has an extensive wine list and there were leaflets on the table giving details of bin ends. I have, however, only tried their house red up until now.

It was about half an hour before the food arrived. My salmon and potatoes were accompanied by mangetout peas, and the sausages on the bed of crushed potatoes were surrounded by baby carrots. I had thought the pithivier would be similar to a pizza base, but it was actually a puff pastry case. We each made approving comments as we started eating, and by the time we had finished, we were all in agreement that it was the best food we had ever had. I've never tasted such tender, well-cooked salmon, and the accompanying diced roast potatoes were crisp and golden. The sausages were perfect – and that's coming from one not easily pleased – whilst the pithivier was a new discovery and a huge success. Three completely different dishes, yet each one was a work of art that totally satisfied the palate. None of us could criticize in any way.

Dessert would be difficult for me on any occasion after such a main course, but among those on offer are spiced plum tarte tatin, Bailey's Irish Cream parfait, and English and continental cheeses with biscuits and Rosie's own chutney. Two more glasses of wine were ordered, but I chose instead to have decaffeinated coffee. This was the only disappointment of the evening for me, as it didn't honestly taste of anything. I am very hard to please where coffee is concerned, liking it strong and bitter, but I normally drink only decaffeinated coffee late in the day and know that I am likely to be disappointed.

The toilets are situated in the basement, so unfortunately this is not really a place for disabled people. I found the ladies to be perfectly clean, and I was then intrigued to hear about the gents. Apparently simulated tiles have been painted on one wall along with a display of slogans along the lines of 'a man isn't really drunk if he can lie on the floor without holding on'. Well that's what I was told, and there were no complaints about cleanliness.

One of the special aspects of Rosie's Vineyard that I have yet to experience is that they have live jazz on Friday evenings and Sunday lunchtimes, with a roast on the menu on Sundays. My son can remember once coming on a Friday and just having a drink whilst watching the jazz. Live music venues are very few and far between in Southsea, and I know Rosie's gets extremely crowded at these times. Another attraction during the summer months is the garden, and this is accessed through the basement. Something to look forward too.

By the time we left, just after 7.30pm, several couples had arrived as well as a group of six giggling ladies; you could tell it was going to be a lively evening. Jazz had replaced Dido by that time. I had noticed on my first visit that there were people of all ages: it's obviously a place that holds great appeal for a wide diversity of people, and I can certainly see why.

Our bill came to £55, so £20 each covered the tip as well. I can't remember when we have all left a place feeling completely satisfied with the food, the service, the atmosphere... I can easily forgive the coffee. I'm sure we'll be going back very soon. The icing on the cake for me is that it's less than half a mile from where I live. If I could give Rosie's six stars out of five, I would.

www.rosies-vineyard.co.uk/ gives details of the live jazz as well as menus, wine lists and opening times. Private functions can be booked.

Rosie's Vineyard

87 Elm Grove

Southsea

PO5 1JF

No longer the India Arms, but the Italian Bar

I wasn't filled with enthusiasm at the prospect of visiting Southsea's latest Italian restaurant, simply because it had taken the place of the Tiffin Room at the India Arms, considered by many to be the best local Indian restaurant. It seemed fair to give it a chance, however, so I met my son on Great Southsea Street early one Friday evening and we wandered down to give the Italian Bar and Grill a closer look.

This establishment is actually part pub and part restaurant. The menu is displayed in the pub window and at first did not encourage me. Alongside pasta, pizza and salads there was a section for burgers – not my kind of food and not what I had been expecting. We decided nevertheless that the prices looked reasonable and that we would probably find an appealing salad or pasta dish, so in we went.

The door leads into the bar area and I was surprised to see two bright red leather sofas that were a huge contrast to the old feel of the India Arms. A waitress led us through to the restaurant area on the left; as it was completely empty and just one table for six was reserved, she let us choose where we wanted to sit. We decided on a table for four by a window in one corner. It was a bit of a squeeze to get in and I felt that either the chairs were low or the table a little high, but I am only just over five feet tall. The tables looked quite striking with black tablecloths, a white runner down the middle and red napkins, although they reminded me more of the Egyptian flag than the Italian one. The chairs were stylish cane ones with high backs and wooden frames. I was not, however, so impressed by the general décor of the room, a particularly large and high-ceilinged one. It is painted in brown and beige, and the walls are as yet bare apart from one large canvas depicting a shopping centre. So much more could be done with the large expanses of wall.

A waitress brought us menus and asked if we would like to order drinks. We both asked for fruit juice, but only orange and cranberry were on offer. I picked the cranberry and felt when it came that it was rather a small glass, but later I noticed on the bill that it was only 60p. My son decided on Appletiser, which was £1.50.

The waitress told us that the day's special was a chicken, mushroom and salami calzone. There is a good choice of starters around the four-pound mark, but we decided to go straight for a main course. My son had been considering a salad, but then we both thought we liked the sound of chicken pesto with either penne pasta or spaghetti (£7.95). Purely out of interest, I ran my glance through the selection of grills; I am not much of a red meat eater and didn't think I would find anything I liked. I was wrong, as I found one of my favourites: fillet of salmon served with a green salad, cherry tomatoes and a choice of French fries, cajun fries or jacket potato(£8.95). In the end we both decided on the salmon with French fries.

It was around fifteen to twenty minutes before our food was served, during which time the restaurant slowly began to get busy. The music had seemed quite loud when we first arrived but I had the impression that it was turned down somewhat as the place began to fill up. The party of six arrived at the table next to ours, but there was a decent space between our two tables and theirs was at right angles to ours, so it was perfectly possible to have a private conversation.

A waiter served our main course on rectangular plain white plates. He asked if we wanted any sauces but we declined. My son had at the time of ordering chosen a chilli and oil dressing for his salmon, but I was quite happy with a twist of lemon on mine. I can't say that it was the best salmon fillet I have ever had, but then neither was it the most expensive. The fries were very slender and crisp; the serving was too large for me, but my son had no trouble finishing his. I did enjoy the tomatoes and the green salad. The salad consisted mainly of lettuce plus slices of green pepper and onion, a little watercress, and a herb dressing. I dislike cucumber, so its absence was an advantage for me. We felt that it was perfectly good food for the price.

The waiter was prompt in clearing our plates away and indicated the dessert menu, strategically placed to one side of the table. All desserts are a reasonable £3.95 and include tiramisu, chocolate brownie, cheesecake and pecan pie. My son ordered pecan pie with neither the whipped cream nor the ice cream that could accompany it. I liked the idea of the fresh fruit in the berry sundae, and decided that I would have it without whipped cream, just with vanilla ice cream.

My son's pie was served on a small, square black plate whereas my sundae came in a tall glass for which the waiter rushed back with a long spoon. Had I fooled myself into thinking that this was a healthy option? It was made with alternate layers of blackberries and strawberries, ice cream and fresh blueberry sauce. I thought I would try to leave some of the ice cream, but as I tried to dig to the bottom of the glass to find the pieces of fruit, I found the ice cream melting and mixing in with it. It was gorgeous. My son was just telling me that he was enjoying his pecan pie as he tried to cut into the pastry crust and the larger remaining piece of pie shot onto the table! Perhaps the pastry was a little hard, but he still enjoyed the pie.

We didn't want coffee so we just asked for the bill. This took a little while to come, but when it did the waitress apologised that they were a little short staffed. It didn't matter to us as we weren't in a hurry. The total came to £27.90 – no reduction of course for ordering desserts without cream! My son paid by debit card for which there was an extra 50p charge, and we left a tip in cash.

I went to the ladies before leaving and noticed on the way that there is still a snooker table, just as there had been at the India Arms. The sofas in the inner areas are black, which I preferred to the garish red ones. I also saw that it is still possible to eat in the bar area, as we had done once when the Tiffin Room was full of nuns and priests. The toilets were perfectly clean and satisfactory, and I was pleased that there is still a full-length mirror in the ladies.

Service was efficient, polite and friendly if not overly professional. The menu is extensive, although I would have expected to see at least one risotto on an Italian menu. There is, however, enough variety to suit a range of tastes, including chicken dishes with a New York flavour and at least one Mexican dish.

If the weather is good you can sit in the garden area. It has apparently been refurbished, but I did not get chance to have a look at it. Roast is added to the menu on Sunday with a discounted price for children. Special student offers are displayed on the wall outside, between the two restaurant windows.

Whilst not being on a par with Rosie's Vineyard or Abarbistro (both little more than a stone's throw away), the Italian Bar and Grill offers good value and a refreshing change from the Italian chain restaurants of Portsmouth's nearby Gunwharf Quays. Although a little out of the way, it is actually only a few minutes' walk from Palmerston Road shopping precinct, Southsea common and the sea front. Nothing can replace our beloved Tiffin Room, but the Italian Bar is worth a visit, especially for a group of people with varying tastes who don't want to spend a fortune.

The Italian Bar and Grill

30-32 Great Southsea Street

Southsea

Hampshire

PO5 3BY

Tel. 023 9275 3058

Ask and you will be fed

Bath city centre has no shortage of restaurants to offer, but many of them close between 2.30pm and 6pm. We had to catch a train just after 6.30pm and realised that we would have to settle for a chain restaurant that stayed open throughout the afternoon. My younger son had taken his girlfriend to Ask a few weeks before and recommended it. I had never been to Ask as we don't have one locally, so I was all in favour of trying somewhere new.

When we arrived at 4.30pm that Saturday the place was fairly quiet and as there were three of us we were shown to a table that was intended for four. Before I had even had chance to sit down the waitress was handing out menus but warning us that several things were not available. These included all the main course specials, salmon and ciabatta. I was a little peeved about the salmon, but I presumed they had had a busy lunchtime and had run out.

The waitress was soon back to take our drinks order and I asked for a Fruitiser. She went off to check and came back to regretfully inform me that that was not available either. Not a good start. My elder son and I ordered Appletiser (£1.95 each) whilst my younger son went for a Peroni Gran Riserva beer at £3.65 plus a glass of water. These were soon brought by a different waitress.

Turning to the food menu, I didn't want a starter, not wishing to spoil my appetite for the main course, but my sons decided to share the prosciutto and mozzarella crostini at £4.65, which is served with fresh rocket salad and a balsamic glaze. We also ordered some marinated olives for £1.95. I noticed on the specials board that there was a king prawn starter that day for a whopping £7.95 as well as mushroom and marsala soup which was under five pounds.

The main course menu has sections for pizza (including calzone or folded pizza), salads, pasta and risotto as well as oven-baked dishes. My younger son had had a pizza on his previous visit and thoroughly enjoyed it but decided to try something different this time. He chose a Milanese oven dish, polpette al forno, made with penne pasta, beef meatballs, fire-roasted peppers, caramelised onions, chillies, garlic, pomodoro sauce and melted cheese (£8.25). My elder son is very partial to risotto and liked the sound of the vegetarian one made with cream and white wine, courgettes, caramelised leeks, peas, oven roasted tomatoes, artichoke and black olives (£8.95). Still lamenting the lack of salmon, I decided on ravioli burro e pesce – large ravioli parcels stuffed with crayfish, crab, smoked salmon and mascarpone cheese with a white wine, spring onion and dill sauce topped with fresh rocket (£9.25).

The starters arrived promptly and the crostini certainly looked very appetising, although I declined the offer of a taste. The green olives (of which there were eight, along with a couple of black ones) were huge – the biggest I've seen. The taste of them definitely lived up to expectations. When we had finished it was only a short wait until the main courses were served. The ravioli and risotto were served in round dishes whereas the pasta came in an oval-shaped oven dish. Grated parmesan and black pepper were offered, and the parmesan was a very generous serving if you did not ask the waitress to stop grating. The main-course portions were not overly large and anyone with a big appetite might want to order a side salad, but we all felt that our main dishes were just enough. My elder son said that his risotto was the best he had ever tasted, and I know he's sampled a good few. My younger son can be quite a fussy eater but he had no complaints, polishing off every last mouthful. I was equally happy with my ravioli, which had plenty of dill and sliced spring onions in evidence on top. The ravioli itself was just the right consistency and there was plenty of filling which tasted delicious. I was satisfied that I'd managed to get some salmon after all.

Perhaps the fact that we were celebrating my younger son's birthday a few days early encouraged us to ask for the dessert menu. It was a different waitress again by this time, and she explained that they were short of particular things that day because they had not had a food delivery for some reason. She said it would actually be easier to tell us what was on the dessert menu rather than what was not available. We had a choice between profiteroles, two flavours of ice cream, a tempting chocolate pudding with an orange sauce centre (on the specials board), chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream or lemon and mascarpone cheesecake. Two of us decided that the cheesecake, at £4.95, was the slightly lighter option and one ordered the chocolate cake (£4.75).

It was about 5.30pm by this time and the restaurant was filling up quite quickly. There was a slightly longer wait for the desserts to arrive, but we were happy to have a bit of a break after our main courses. The cake looked very indulgent, covered as it was in chocolate sauce with a scoop of ice cream to the side. The verdict was favourable except that the sauce could have been a little warmer to contrast with the ice cream. We did feel we had made a good choice with the cheesecake, which had a gorgeous lemon flavour and was topped with flaked almonds. We certainly felt full by that time and did not order coffee as we needed to make our way back to the station.

By 6pm the restaurant was almost completely full. My son said that on the previous occasion they had arrived about 8.30pm, again on a Saturday, without a reservation and had been asked to come back in an hour. (They had drinks at the Pig and Fiddle just across the road whilst waiting). Ask is obviously a popular place, serving good food at reasonable prices in very pleasant surroundings. One thing that did strike me was that the tables were not too close together in the area where we were seated, so it was possible to have a conversation without feeling that others could hear or being aware of conversations at nearby tables. The music was not so loud as to be intrusive either.

The décor is mostly white with arty vases on windowsills and the occasional abstract painting. The bar is a contrasting black, and bottles of wine are displayed in profusion. Potted palms dotted here and there provide more privacy between neighbouring tables. Lighting is provided by spotlights on a frame in the ceiling, and these were lowered quite a bit at around 6pm. One reservation I have is that the toilets are situated in the basement down two flights of stairs.

Ask does have a special children's menu and there were several young children there when we arrived. One tiny one, however, escaped and was playing with the chain in the middle of the two sides of the large specials easel – if mum hadn't come to the rescue fast enough, he could have pulled the whole thing over and perhaps been squashed in the middle. Not a pleasant thought.

Our bill came to £55.25, so you could say £20 a head after adding a tip. That seems very good value since my sons almost had three courses each, bearing in mind that they shared a starter.

I came away feeling that I wished there were an Ask restaurant in Portsmouth. (My nearest would be Chichester or Petersfield.) The waitresses were polite and friendly, the food was enjoyed by all three of us without a single complaint, we liked the place itself and felt that prices were very fair. Had there been a food delivery that day, we would have had even more choice on the menu. I am sure that I shall be returning to Ask when I have an opportunity, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Italian food.

Ask Restaurant

The Royal York Hotel

George Street

Bath

BA1 2AF

Tel. 01225 789997

In for a pound

If you want to sit outside and have a meal right at the Waterfront in Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth, the choice is between Pizza Express, Zizzi, La Tasca and Tootsies. Zizzi would probably have been my first choice anyway, but the fact that I had a voucher whereby you paid for one main meal and got another for just £1 meant there was no contest. It was about 2pm on Sunday and, with the sun shining, the crowds were out. When we requested a table for three outside, we could see there was one empty but were asked to wait for about five minutes while things were organised. There was a small corner with chairs for those waiting, but it wasn't long before we were shown to our table. This actually consisted of two square tables pushed together, and the upright chairs were certainly comfortable. Some of the outside tables are shaded by a parasol, but ours was open to the welcome sunshine. Cutlery and paper serviettes were already laid, and there were salt and pepper pots at one end. A waitress immediately brought us our menus. She soon returned to take our drinks order. We each ordered fruit juice – either apple or orange are available at £2.25 a glass.

When it came to food, we ordered some mixed olives (£2.25) from the starter section to share between us. The main menu is divided into several sections: Pasta and Risotto, Pizza and Calzone, Carne e Pesce (Meat and Fish) and Insalate (Salads). I was tempted by both the grilled salmon fillet and the seafood risotto, but they were a little pricey so I eventually decided on Penne della Casa (£8.95) consisting of smoked pancetta, roasted chicken, creamy mushroom sauce and baby spinach finished with grated grana padano cheese and baked 'al forno' (in the oven). My son had had a Wagamama curry the day before and felt he should make a healthy choice, so he went for the Insalata Nicoise (£8.25) with yellowfin tuna, anchovies, hard boiled egg, olives, capers, potatoes, santos tomatoes and mixed leaves. His partner ordered a Trentino pizza (£9.50) whose toppings are smoked mountain ham, buffalo milk mozzarella, santos tomatoes, rocket and grana padano cheese. He asked for the rustico base which is larger, thinner, and crispier; it costs an extra £1.95 as there is room for more toppings.

Once we had placed our order, large bottles of olive oil and mayonnaise were brought to the table, each with a folded paper serviette around its neck to catch the drips. It was only about ten minutes before the waitress brought my Penne della Casa, but there was no immediate sign of anything else. I was urged to start eating so that my pasta didn't turn cold. We had actually expected the olives to be served before the main course, but this didn't happen. It was several minutes before the salad and pizza were served, with the olives coming last of all. The pizza was served on a board and looked huge to me, although the base was very thin, and the salad was also a very generous serving. We were all enjoying what we had ordered when, out of the blue, a passing waiter dropped a pound coin on the table and it bounced before landing slap bang in the middle of the pizza. I'm afraid I couldn't help laughing. The waiter was, of course, mortified, and asked my son's partner if he would like another pizza. Monetary coins are not the cleanest of objects, and the reply was a polite but affirmative one. This did, of course, entail a wait of perhaps another ten minutes, so my son and I tried to eat as slowly as we could. My son's partner nibbled away at the olives while he was waiting, and the replacement pizza eventually came. He managed to demolish it with no further mishaps.

I certainly enjoyed my pasta dish with its creamy sauce, roast chicken, whole spinach leaves and crisp grated cheese on the surface. Some pieces of the pancetta were a little chewy, but overall it was an excellent balance of flavours. All three of us were very satisfied with the quality of the food. We didn't honestly have room for dessert, but I noticed two ladies at the next table tucking into large portions of apple crumble with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. This is the most expensive dessert at £5.25; ice cream is the cheapest at £3.50.

The waitress offered us coffee on the house, presumably as a gesture to make up for the bouncing pound coin. None of us really wanted coffee, however, and we felt that the fact that the pizza had been replaced quite made up for the accident. Our bill came to a total of just over £30; without the voucher it would have been about £38. We added a ten per cent tip.

Full marks to Zizzi for their toilets, in which a hand basin and drier are provided in each cubicle. This should avoid any likelihood of germs on the door handle, provided of course that everyone does actually wash their hands.

While I was in the ladies, the waiter apparently came over and apologised profusely for the unfortunate landing of the pound coin in the pizza. He was perhaps grateful that there hadn't been any angry outbursts on our part. As we were leaving, he made a point of shaking my son's partner's hand, and they parted amicably. So I would say that the accident was very well dealt with and I wouldn't level any criticism at Zizzi.

As pizza restaurants go, I much prefer Zizzi to Strada and also Pizza Express. I did particularly enjoy both Ask in Bath and Prezzo in Chichester, but I would say that Zizzi is the best of the bunch in Portsmouth. I would happily go again.

A civilised Italian lunch

Finding somewhere for a late lunch on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Chichester might not be an easy thing to do. The crowds were out. We decided to try Pizza Express first, as my son and his partner had recently visited the one in Gunwharf Quays and had been giving me ecstatic descriptions of their new ice cream. On entering, however, we were greeted by rubbish on the floor, balloons here and there, and noise everywhere. We made a quick exit and decided to try Prezzo, which a friend had recommended to me.

What a difference. The restaurant is housed in what was formally the White Horse pub, as can be seen from the stained-glass windows and the odd horse's head dotted around. There are oak beams, pillars and shelving, with lighting from spotlights on the beams. I can imagine that it might be a little dingy on a grey day, but that afternoon there was plenty of sunshine streaming through the windows. Arty vases, painted statues of a nun, a chef and a lady in evening dress amongst others jostled alongside huge jars of pickles and a grandfather clock to decorate the shelves.

There were several free tables, and a waitress showed us to one near the front of the restaurant. I did feel that I sank down a little too far into the leather chair, and I noticed later that the seating further back looked a little more modern. We had scarcely been handed our menus when a waiter came to take our drinks order. My son and his partner ordered fresh fruit juice at £2.30 whilst I chose a Fruitiser at £2.05. We were asked if we would like some marinated olives (£2.45), and we decided we would. The drinks were soon served, but the olives took a few minutes more.

Prezzo's menu has the usual sections you would expect to find in an Italian chain restaurant, with starters, pasta, oven pasta dishes, pizza, risotto, specialities and salads. Perhaps the only difference is that Prezzo also has a section for roast chicken dishes, although I understand that in their newer branches this is replaced by a section for calzone, or folded pizzas. On arrival the waitress had shown us the 'specials' board which featured just one main course: fusilli pasta with asparagus, mushrooms, roasted peppers and green pesto at £7.95. It sounded healthy and I hadn't had pesto for a long time, so I made that my choice. My son opted for traditional lasagne at £8.55, and his partner ordered a pizza with prosciutto ham, mushrooms, marinated olives, fresh rosemary, mozzarella and tomato at £7.95. I was pleased to see that a special knife with a serrated edge was brought after the pizza was ordered, as I have often had difficulty cutting through pizza with the usual blunt restaurant knives.

The olives arrived in a small, narrow dish; there were a mixture of black and green. We savoured these whilst awaiting our main courses. Conversation was easy as the music was not too loud. I felt as though Pizza Express was on another planet – for a family with young children it would be the obvious choice, but if you want to relax in a more peaceful atmosphere, Prezzo is the place to go.

We didn't have to wait long for our main courses to be served. The waitress offered us grated parmesan, which I accepted, and also chilli oil for the pizza. My dish of fusilli pasta was huge, and delicious as it was, I was unable to finish it. I made sure I didn't leave any of the peppers, asparagus or generous mushroom slices, but good as the pesto was, it didn't allow me to get through all the pasta. My son was so enthusiastic about the lasagne that it made me think I would have to sample it next time I visit Prezzo. The pizza was good too: not too thick, and the slice of ham had been left whole, folded, and then covered with cheese. We had no complaints.

We asked to see the dessert menu and found that there were two kinds of cheesecake, pannacotta, sticky toffee pudding or fudge cake, all for either £4.25 or £4.50. Then, below these, we noticed

ice cream and hazelnut bombe, vanilla ice cream covered in chopped hazelnuts with a meringue centre, for a mere £2.95. Feeling rather full already, we all three opted for the ice cream bombe. It wasn't long before the desserts were brought in frosted glass dishes with long spoons. We all agreed that we had made the right choice. None of us ordered coffee, but I did noticed that all the hot drinks were priced under £2 which I feel is very reasonable compared to most establishments.

Our bill came to £42.40, to which we added a tip, making it just over £15 a head for two courses plus olives and a drink.

The toilets are at the back of the restaurant on the ground floor, so there are no problems for disabled customers. The ladies was certainly very clean.

The service at Prezzo was extremely polite and efficient throughout the time we were there. We have noticed recently in one or two other restaurants that the service is good initially and through the main course but then drops when we are trying to order dessert or ask for the bill. This certainly was not the case at Prezzo, although I should say that we arrived at 2.30pm and I realise things may be different at busier times.

I hope that I will have the opportunity to visit Prezzo again and lament the lack of a branch in Southsea. I don't know if other Prezzo restaurants are in such pleasant surroundings as the one in Chichester, of course. It isn't an atmosphere that will suit young children, but I would definitely recommend Prezzo to adults looking for good Italian food at reasonable prices in a relaxing environment.

Prezzo

61 South Street

Chichester

West Sussex

PO19 1EE

www.prezzoplc.co.uk