This is one of my favourite restaurants in Reading. Located on an ugly side street behind Argos and looking on to the side of the Renaissance hotel, the restaurant itself looks a little odd and can be a little cold, but this is soon forgotten. The restaurant serves a wide range of Sardinian food and sources wine from Sardinia too.
The staff are really lovely - warm, friendly and good humoured and opinionated on the food and wine. Oh, and the food! First on the table is a basket of bread - the flatbread studded with rosemary and salt and then dipped in olive oil is scrummy, and the crusty bread that is also in the basket tends to get ignored until the flatbread is gone.
The specials include such simple dishes as crab ravioli in a tomato, cream and herb sauce (divine), monkfish with leeks and butter (and more but I can't remember) - again, just gorgeous. Of note on the main menu is the roast suckling pig, only available on weekends and only if you get in quick - it's succulent, tasty and plentiful. And if you ever see tagliatelle with cream and mushrooms on the special menu I urge you to try it - it is heavenly.
The wine list gives a wide range of choice and are very affordable. Forgive my spelling and memory but the Raim is very good and they also do a carignan wine (whose name I forget and which is not listed on the website) which is rich and smooth and delicious.
Finally, I must mention that the restaurant is a family business and therefore only opens for one Sunday every year - Mothering Sunday.