• Added: 29th of October 2007
• Area: St Albans
• Category: Restaurants

St Albans AL3 5EX
01727 899189

trobinson said
Quality regional Italian place
Focusing on simply executed dishes based on fresh produce is a great new addition to the surprisingly limited St Albans dining scene.

Despite its affluence and increasing popularity as one of the nicest places to commute to London from St Albans has a pretty disappointing range of places to eat out. Sure, there's the creditable Darcy's on Hatfield Road, a recent addition to the slick Loch Fyne seafood chain on Verulam Road (plus a great, unpretentious curry house in Mumtaj on London Road) but that's about it. Until now.

Cibo DiVino opened in Summer 2007 and despite its central, if relatively unprepossessing location behind M&S and Boots there are treats in store.

Service is warm and welcoming, the room is cosy and well lit, homemade bread is offered with your apertif (we had a couple of glasses of appley house Prosecco).

The focus is on fresh regional Italian food (think modern Italian style championed by the likes of the River Cafe or Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall). Some examples from the short but appetising menu are: antipasti(say buffalo mozzarella with grilled vegetables, an autumnal lentil soup), pasta (I had a delicious rabbit and black olive ragu with fettuccine but there was also linguine with clams), fish (simply grilled whole bream, scallops with cauliflower puree), meat and game (guinea fowl with polenta, a veal chop), vegetables and desserts (honey semi-freddo, tiramisu).

Expect to pay about £50 a head for the works: aperitifs, three courses, a good bottle of wine, coffee. We were offered a complimentary digestif.

We really hope this charming place is a success - it fills a much needed space and does so really well.

• Added: 26th of July 2007
• Area: Dalston
• Category: Restaurants

London E8 2DJ
020 7275 8981

trobinson said

Don't let Arcola Street, a dodgy looking side street put you off - Mangal is one of the best proper Turkish grill places in East London with superb kebabs grilled before you by genuine experts. Prices are low, food is terrifically fresh and it's namechecked by Moro owners Sam and Sam Clark in their book (so it must be good).

• Added: 26th of July 2007
• Area: Belgravia
• Category: Take Aways

London SW1P 2HR
020 7799 2844

trobinson said
Fish and chips that disappoint more often than they delight
Not a notable chippy and to be avoided unless it's your only option - Wiltons is probably a better bet if you are in the Victoria area. My haddock and chips to takeaway was 5.90 which bought a dull piece of fish that was overcooked and not particularly fresh, heavy tasteless batter and greasy chips. Yuck. I've been before and had decent food - it's the luck of the draw which isn't saying much given that several London chippies deliver consistently: Seashell on Lisson Grove and even better North Sea Fish, Leigh Street in Bloomsbury.