Cibo!

In bright new premises offering a warm, friendly environment where informal dining is positively encouraged. The overriding influence is without doubt Italian as evidenced by a good range of homemade pastas and, on the cellar side, an interesting selection of Italian organic wines.

The emphasis on fresh ingredients means that all meals are cooked to order, so that clams with pomodorini, garlic and fresh parsley, followed by a fiorentina 12 oz T-bone steak straight off the charcoal grill are as fresh as human ingenuity can make them.

The menu is lengthy but staff are friendly and glad to advise should you become seized with doubt. Whatever you choose you can be assured that value for money is there. House wine is £12.50, for a litre.

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A review from Becky Sims:

Cibo, which is the Italian for 'food', is relatively new on the scene in South Parade, Summertown, and looks extremely welcoming, with a small terrace area at the front. Unusually for Oxford, parking is available to the rear after 6.30pm. On arrival, we were invited to take a seat in the bar area, with its comfortable leather sofas and discreet artwork. The cocktail menu is relatively small, but is well priced, with most cocktails at £4.50, and the bar staff are attentive and happy to provide drinks which are not on the menu. Capirinhas, made with Brazilian spirit, lime and sugar, were strong and delicious. The non-cocktail minded among us enjoyed pints of perfectly chilled Nastro Azzuro on draught (£3.30).

Although our table was ready, the staff were happy for us to remain in the comfort of our squishy sofas to choose from the extensive menu of Italian delights. The choice was a tough one, but eventually the eight of us managed to decide on our main courses. We also asked for some bread (£2.50) and olives (£2.75) to share as a starter - the bread came hot, fresh from the oven and was perfect with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Once seated at our table, the mains arrived swiftly. I chose a chargrilled tuna steak (£11.50), which came with a small salad. I'd asked for the tuna 'slightly pink in the middle' and it was perfectly cooked - a real melt-in-the-mouth experience. Other fish choices included squid, sea bass and a seafood platter. My partner chose a chicken breast, cooked with chilli (to taste), garlic and butter-soft roasted peppers (£8.70). Our vegetarian friends chose from a large selection of pastas and risottos - the homemade Spinach and Ricotta Tortelloni in a rich tomato salsa (£8.95) was the star of the bunch, and the fresh vegetable risotto (£7.50) was also devoured with glee. A fillet steak (£16.50), perfectly cooked, was the carnivore's choice, although the balsamic vinegar sauce in which it was cooked was a little overpowering. Side dishes of fries, new potatoes, salad and roasted vegetables were available at from £2.10 to £3.70. We shared a carafe of crisp, tasty house white (£12.50) and a decent bottle of red (£15.95) - water was provided without the need to ask.

Although feeling very full after the generous portions, we just had to try the deserts! Disappointingly, the Daily Special, panna cotta, was sold out, so my choice was quite limited as I don't like coffee or nuts, but a rich lemon tart contained neither and was superb. Other choices included a boozy tiramisu, chocolate bombe, chocolate and almond tart and a selection of ice creams, and the sounds coming from my companions suggested that they were pretty good! All were priced around £4. There's an excellent range of Fair Trade coffees and teas, but for us a round of Limoncello liqueurs rounded off a perfect meal.

The bill, including drinks and service, was just over £200 for eight, but it would be easy to eat here very economically. All in all, I would recommend Cibo as a place to go for excellent service, great cocktails and food which is fresh, perfectly cooked and extremely tasty. I only hope that the lone diner simultaneously trying to eat a whole sea bass and have a loud conversation on his mobile phone is not there when you visit - some things are just too amusing!

Becky Simms

3 September 2004