Trenta

The name of the restaurant means thirty in Italian, perhaps a reference to its location on Connaught Street, but it explores the Italian territory and the southern region in particular for ingredients and inspiration. A huge strategically placed mirror creates a feeling of more space, and cream, crimson and black hues abound in this small dining area.

Appetisers of creamy mozzarella with grilled vegetables, and Parma ham and melon are satisfying and could be followed by tardelli stuffed with spinach served with a light sauce, pumpkin ravioli with sage, and pan-fried swordfish escalope with a Sicilian caponata. Desserts like pannacotta, tiramisu and peach tart are all winning selections on the menu and even simple things like coffee and petite fours are done with precision and care.

Lunchtime set menus at Trenta are good value, considering a reasonably-priced, quality lunch is hard to come by in this part of London.