Olivetto - Tunsgate

For a taste of genuine Italian cooking in deepest Surrey, take yourself - and your friends - along to Olivetto ristorante and wine bar and take the opportunity to sample some of Italy's finest traditional cuisine.

Their chefs have brought from their warm and sunny homeland some of their favourite recipes passed down from generation to generation, and, unlike in many other places, all their dishes are freshly made to order. Should you have any special requirements then just let the waiter know and they will be happy to do their best to oblige you.

As you would expect, in the normal warm-hearted Italian way, bambini are always especially welcomed, a real fuss is made of them and they don't get referred to as 'kids'.

All the pasta is freshly made by their chefs in the traditional Italian style with choices like linguine served with prawns, langoustine scampi, mussels, tomato, garlic and white wine sauce or penne served with garlic, chicken and pesto sauce or individually handmade ravioli filled with spinach, mixed herbs and ricotta cheese in a courgette, sweet peppers, garlic and tomato sauce.

However, the menu is wide ranging, from starters like bocconcini di mozzarella alla tirolese - Buffalo mozzarella wrapped in smoked cured ham and lightly baked in the oven, to insalata di avocado e gamberetti - A salad of Atlantic prawns and avocado in a delicate, tangy cocktail sauce, definitely not your standard Italian fare.

Italians have special ways with fish, and you should expect to find pan fried fresh fillet of salmon, served on a bed of potatoes in a light white wine, black olives, capers, anchovies, tomato and garlic sauce; tiger prawns and calamari squid, delicately coated and deep fried; served with lemon wedges on a bed of lollo rosso and mixed leaf salad, or fresh loin of swordfish brushed with olive oil and lemon and gently cooked on the char grill, along with vegetables of the day.

Main courses specials could include fagottino di pollo, corn fed chicken breast rolled with mushroom and mozzarella cheese and wrapped with pancetta, an Italian style of bacon, then cooked in a light white wine with butter and garlic sauce.

Italian wine at its best is a real delight and the list at Olivetto starts with decent house wine by the glass or bottle, finishing with, amongst many others a notable style of Moscadello, made from the local grape and slowly fermented in new oak to produce a straw coloured yellow wine with golden reflections.

Do leave room for their desserts like tiramisu, pannacotta or the delicious sounding tortino alle albicocche, a light pastry case filled with apricot and topped with caramelised cream.

For further information on their events, and their ability to deal with yours, getting married at Olivetto, gift vouchers and many other things including their history and philosophy, click on their Website and become absorbed.