Giardinetto

Giardinetto has effected a move from Covent Garden to Mayfair with apparent ease and a complete change of style. Gone is the rather gloomy little basement, here is the new Gardinetto, an affair of stainless steel, glass and copper on the ground floor in Albermarle Street, bringing the restaurant into line with other well-known transformed Italian eateries in London, with Locanda Locatelli in mind.

In this transformation from, shall we say rustic to chic, it is inevitable that there have been changes that regulars may not always like. In the opinion of this correspondent they are far outweighed by the advantages that have accrued, and the quality and variety of the cooking has gone on to new heights. This may be partly due to better premises - does it matter, not one jot. What matters is that the cod with anchovy sauce on a potato cake and a shrimp flan, or the beef wrapped in Colonnata lard with zucchini and shallots are some of the best of their class in town.

Terry Durack writing in the Independent extols the virtues of the Genovese sacripante: "this is a textural treat, an indulgent, sensual combination of baby-soft cream and rum-soaked sponge that comes with its own talking point, a tiny thimble spun from sugar, full of extra rum for pouring over the top".

This, together with a massive and highly impressive wine list, means that Giardinetto should not be ignored on those grounds alone.