Gusto Restaurant & Bar - Knutsford

As soon as you walk through the doors of a Gusto outlet, you should instantly feel welcome. They are a chain of modern restaurants that offer a dining experience based on good food, drink and service in stylish surroundings. Their name stands for a hearty and enjoyable dining experience.

The ambiance is influenced by the glamour of 1950's New York Italian eateries, but in a contemporary setting, with a focus on freshly prepared classic and modern Italian fare; there is a stand-alone bar along side the restaurants, and a range of wines, beers, spirits and cocktails. To demonstrate just how off the wall these guys really are customers can surf the net with, yes - gusto - with their free Wi Fi access.

At the time of writing (June 08) Gusto were celebrating a major award win with the Catering in Scotland Excellence Award for Innovation in Training. Among starters, expect to find Italian ribs, baked taleggio cheese with bread and cranberry salsa as well as seared and marinated beef carpaccio. The restaurant features wood-fired pizza ovens, which produce sensational pizzas far larger and tastier than most others do. Choices include all old favourites such as the Margherita, Napoletana and Fiorentina.

The menu has a range of delicious dishes including whole lobster, salt baked sea bass and homemade Italian beef burger - all added to a range of specials created by the chef each week. Of course, being an Italian restaurant they serve an excellent selection of pasta, piled hot and steaming into large bowls - perfect for lunch or early evening with a crisp side salad like the apple, gorgonzola, walnut with baby gem and spinach. Ingredients are sourced responsibly both on land and at sea, seeking out local suppliers wherever possible.

The sea is never too far away in Italy so little surprise at a whole lobster with thermador sauce or garlic and butter, though perhaps a lifted eyebrow at the fries? Grilled lamb cutlets take on a new dimension with crushed chickpeas, or you may prefer the suckling pig with roast garlic mash.

Children are particularly well catered for at Gusto. The menu is varied and even encourages participation, for instance they can create pizzas with their own choice of toppings, and all children's main course prices including dessert and a chef?s hat.

The dessert list comprises of blueberry and raspberry mess and tiramisu among other choices for those wanting to indulge their sweet tooth. Along with champagne and prosecco, Gusto has a surprisingly open mind towards the subject of wine, and although a good proportion hail from the homeland more traditional and new world bottles are conspicuous by their presence. Wines from £12 have a heavy showing round the £20 mark before heading on to just over £50 include two superb dessert wines, one of which, soave classsico speaks of rich acacia honey, dried apricot and dried fig nose - velvety and harmonious.