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Step in to La Cantina 44 and you are immediately enveloped by the casual atmosphere and the sight of people having a good time there will surely make you feel at ease. The dining area may be small, almost packed during busy times, but that only adds to the ambience of the place.

The menu is extensive and covers all bases of Italian-Mediterranean cuisine, so there could be the classic minestrone, chicken liver pâté or baked baby mushrooms in a creamy garlic sauce for starters. Main courses include beef stroganoff, slices of honey glazed duck breast and medallions of pork fillet wrapped in Parma ham.

If pizza and pasta is your idea of comfort food then there's plenty happening here; spaghetti tossed with New Zealand mussels and prosciutto and funghi. Little diners have their own dedicated menu and those who pop in early in the evening could avail themselves of a good value fixed price selection.

Anthony's brings a breath of fresh family air to the Leeds culinary scene, with Anthony Flinn, recently of El Bulli and The Vineyard, and his partner Olga, with Tony senior and sister Holly in charge of business and front of house respectively at his new eponymous restaurant. Anthony was hailed as "a new Gordon Ramsay" at a ceremony where he was presented by Albert Roux with the Remy Martin overall Excellence Award in 2004, the youngest winner ever.

This is a team that could take a lot of holding and the word is to keep an eye open for great things. The menu smacks of an imagination well under control but bursting to try new ideas once the clientele has firmed up.

Starters could be dressed salad of crab with a green pumpkin seed praline or an Anjou squab with jabugo ham and pink grapefruit drops. Salt cod features amongst the main courses as does suckling pig with jersey royals and a mango flavoured jus, or for something rather different roast breast of duck with olive oil and chocolate bons bons. A serious wine list repays attention, with house wine at £18.50 or by the glass.