Il Peccato

Dante's Divine Comedy, the epic poem that recounts the famed journey to hell and back, seems to have been the inspiration behind naming this Italian restaurant Il Peccato. Located in the Axel Torv, just a few minutes away from the Ascot Hotel, this is just the right sort of place to saunter into for a leisurely lunch or a quiet evening.

Il Peccato means 'sin' and the owner Ramon Thu seems to have taken the concept to heart, making generous use of fire archetypes and employing 'hot' artist couple Thyra Hilden and Pio Diaz to rekindle some of their earlier magic with the Copenhagen Cathedral, where they created the illusion of fire. Even if you are not enraptured by the work of the duo, at least the food there will keep you pleasantly occupied.

Start with either the carpaccio of swordfish with a delicate citrus sauce and drizzled with virgin oil, or the vitello tonato, chilled veal sprinkled with capers and topped with tuna sauce. There also choices of different insalata like the rocket salad with cherry, parmesan, pine nuts, walnuts and raisins if something light and fresh appeals to you.

The range of pastas is exciting and extensive, including penne with tomato, bacon and chilli, as well as tortellini stuffed with prosciutto ham, gorgonzola sauce and pine nuts. Seafood lovers can rejoice with the gamberoni al forno, shrimps fried in an open oven with garlic, sea salt and chilli, or the grilled salmon filet with saffron rice. Meat dishes are also popular and the filetto al peppe verde, tender beef fillets with green peppers and chef's special sauce or the grilled entrecôte with mushrooms in white wine sauce, served with vegetables of the day are good examples of what to expect there.

As with any self respecting ristorante, Il Peccato gives pizzas their rightful due and serves varieties that include diavola, a delightful combination of tomato, mozzarella, pesto, grated parmesan and pine nuts, as well as caprichosa with Italian ham and mushrooms.

You could try the different cheeses there or simply get down to business at the desserts section. Forget insipid replicas that you may have tasted elsewhere and take a look at what Il Peccato offers. Tiramisu, pannacotta, chocolate mousse are just some of the indulgent treats you might want to sample while ardently bidding your calorie counting days good bye.

The list of Italian wines is comprehensive and accompanies every aspect of your meal suitably. Gluttony may be considered a sin, but at Il Peccato you would be doing yourself a disservice if you do not indulge in the feast that they have in store for you.