Gourmet Dining on the Monagasque Beach - La Note Bleue

Just along the Plage du Larvotto on the Avenue Princess Grace in Monte Carlo there is a beach restaurant and jazz lounge that serves the most wonderful dishes. We had coffee there the first day of our visit, and returned for lunch twice afterwards. The service is friendly and efficient and the food is very, very good.


Check out this Salade Nicoise.

Beautifully presented, fresh and utterly delicious, I enjoyed it on both our visits to this refreshingly unpretentious venue. I don't think I have ever tasted nicer tuna and the tomatoes really did taste of sunshine.


My husband also enjoyed the same dish on both our visits - a seafood risotto with three different kinds of white fish. 

The fish and risotto were beautifully cooked, and there was not a bone to be found in this meltingly tender dish.


Our son enjoyed a vegetarian dish, tofu with stir fried vegetables and a side of light, fluffy rice.

There is something so wonderful about sitting in the sunshine looking out to sea and enjoying a lovely lunch. It was a popular place, and great for people watching. As we sat there one day a recognisable musician arrived with his entourage and a very glamorous girlfriend and sat down to lunch just beside us. (I never lunch and tell, but you would have recognised him too!) 


Our second lunch at La Note Bleue was on our last day in Monaco for this visit, and we decided to treat ourselves to dessert. I am so glad we did!


My husband's Tarte Tatin was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious,

and the ice cream our son chose was just divine.

It was a sweet, salty chocolate and caramel concoction, the peanut garnish offsetting the sweetness of the caramel beautifully. And as for my dessert, well, it is among the best I have ever had. I had never heard of Macaronade des Poires before, although I have eaten my fair share of macarons, but I will be on the lookout for it from now on!

Macarons of course translates to macaroon and these were beautiful examples of that wonderful treat - crisp on the outside with a divinely melting middle. Inside the cute little jar there was a warm compote of pears, cooked in a caramel sauce and topped with a tiny dollop of vanilla ice cream. The ice cream melted into the caramel and as the biscuits dissolved slowly in it as well - oh my goodness, it was quite incredible. By the end, I found myself totally losing my self control and soaking the remains of the biscuits in what was left of the caramel sauce in the bottom of the jar - it was that good! 


We were so impressed with the atmosphere, service and food at La Note Bleue we will definitely return on our next visit to Monaco - and should you find yourself there I urge you to go along and enjoy their hospitality too!










The 21st Century Housewife was not paid or compensated in any way for this post, and the opinions in it are genuine, and my own. 

A Lovely Saturday Morning Breakfast

We needed to drop our son off at the train station in Reading this morning, so my husband and I decided to go into town and run a few errands while we were there. As it was an early start, we had not had time for breakfast, so I suggested we visit the new place in town, Bill's. 

This new Reading branch is one of three. The first restaurant, in Lewes, was started back in 2001 by a greengrocer named Bill Collison in the shop he had run for over twenty years. As you would expect of a greengrocer, the focus in Bill's restaurants is on fresh food and produce, and the ethos is really wonderful - customers sit amongst the fresh produce and other goods for sale, eating freshly prepared dishes and also being able to take the ingredients away with them to make them at home. In fact, if you fill out your shopping list, the staff will do your shopping for you while you eat and add the items to your bill. What a fantastic way to shop!


The restaurant is bright and welcoming.

As well as specials on the chalk boards, there are recipes for both dishes offered on the menu and also for the individual items of fresh produce. It's a great place for the avid foodie! 


The menu offers a great selection of breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes, all sounding absolutely mouthwatering and causing us to decide almost immediately that we definitely needed to return as soon as possible. My husband ordered Bill's breakfast, which arrived beautifully presented and was absolutely delicious.

I had a bacon sandwich that tasted wonderful with lovely crisp bacon encased in fresh homemade bread. Our tea arrived in a nice big traditional pot, and we were given proper teacups, something I always feel is a really nice touch.  


The attention to detail at Bill's is outstanding, and the atmosphere is really convivial. They have been sensitive in their restoration of their historic location and the decor is very effective. There are two more dining rooms upstairs for use when the ones downstairs get full - and they do - one of the ladies sitting next to us said she had eaten upstairs the previous Sunday - and also for private functions, which Bill's are happy to cater on site. 

The service is quick and efficient, but we never, ever felt rushed. Bill's menu offers good value for money and servings are generous without being overwhelming. I'm looking forward to returning again soon - and this time, I'll bring my shopping list with me!






Bill's is located in St Mary's Church House on Chain Street in Reading, RG1 2HX. 
Phone +44 (0) 118 939 1365


The 21st Century Housewife was not paid for this post. 

The Gallery at Fortnum and Mason

The Gallery at London's iconic Fortnum and Mason department store is a wonderful place for lunch, and I was lucky enough to find myself there with my two favourite people on Sunday. Just up the stairs from Fortnum's amazing food hall, The Gallery focuses on seasonal ingredients for menus that highlight foods available in the Fresh Food Hall.  


Their menu has lots of variety and caters for just about every taste, and they also offer a spectacular afternoon tea. We chose from their lunch menu and were very impressed by the dishes that were on offer. 


My husband and I both ordered fish. I had one of their daily specials - loin of cod on a bed of cannellini beans - and my husband had a wonderful fillet of John Dory served on a bed of shaved yellow and green zucchini in a light lemon sauce. 

Loin of Cod on Cannellini Beans

John Dory

Our son chose the rib eye steak which was served with a herb butter and chips.

Sadly he was not given a steak knife, and unfortunately he did need one. The flavour of the meat was nice but the steak itself was on the tough side. The chips, on the other hand, were wonderful.


We also ordered a side salad and some sauteed spinach, both of which were lovely. There is a superb wine list and wines are available both by the bottle and the carafe which I always think is a nice touch as sometimes a bottle is just too much at lunchtime. We shared a beautiful Sancerre.


It did take us rather a long time to order our desserts after our main course plates were cleared away. I am sure there is no way we can have offended our waiter as we were very enthusiastic about the food and incredibly polite, but he became utterly distracted and at one point stood and stared off into space ignoring all his tables while other waiting staff flew around him. When we finally managed to discreetly attract his attention after about twenty minutes we were able to order some lovely desserts and very refreshing coffee.


I chose a Tarte Tatin - which was listed as apricot, but as they did not have enough in season apricots I was served the traditional apple variety. (The waiter did tell me this as I ordered.)

It was outstanding - perfectly caramelised and not too sweet. My husband chose the raspberry Eton mess. 

A glorious retro fuschia, it tasted lovely (he shared) with a perfect balance of tart fruit and sweet cream. I was also allowed to taste this beauty ordered by our son.

A brandy snap with cooked cherries served a la mode, this was one of those 'why didn't I think of that' desserts - simple but spectacular. The cherries were neither too sharp nor too sweet - in fact they were the perfect flavour and texture. Even my husband, who is not a fan of cherries, really loved it.


We had a wonderful lunch at The Gallery. I would not recommend their steak, but everything else was absolutely scrumptious. All the dishes were beautifully presented too. The service was rather hit and miss, but I'm hoping that it was just a one off, and I will definitely be returning to find out!

The Cafe @ Eventi - The Kimpton Eventi in New York City

Sometimes you just stumble upon something so refreshing, it catches you utterly by surprise. That is what happened to us when we visited the new Kimpton Eventi Hotel on the Avenue of the Americas in New York a few weeks ago.

We were keen to visit the Eventi knowing it was Kimpton’s newest property in New York. We are big fans of the Kimpton Hotel brand, of their wonderful properties, their business ethos and the great service they provide.  The Eventi lived up to all our expectations – in fact it kind of surpassed them. We had a King Suite on the thirty-something-th floor (I stop counting after 29, both in terms of age and building elevations) with a great view over the Chelsea District of New York.  Because they had only opened a few weeks previous, I expected some teething problems, but there simply were not any in our experience.

The understated, modern décor was absolutely beautiful and the staff were attentive and helpful. They were most apologetic about the fact that their permanent restaurant was not open, and in fact we pretty much decided that we would not eat there as it sounded as though things really were not finished at all. But our last night in New York we were tired, it was raining and we really did not want to go out, so we headed to the in-house restaurant called The Café at Eventi.

The Café is not a permanent installation, and is due to be replaced by a multi-level ‘Food Parc’ for casual dining and the multi-level Bar Basque Restaurant with a authentic Basque restaurant highlighting seasonal, sustainable ingredients. I’m so glad we went early enough to be able to experience this temporary café, because it was ever so much more than that.

We were alone in the café, and could see much of the building works that were going on outside – including a terrace featuring a huge screen several stories high to broadcast concerts and the like. The screen was not yet in place, but we could see the structure that would hold it. It was massive.The décor, although unfinished, was clearly going to be spectacular.

While the restaurant and menu might be temporary, it was the site of one of the finest meals of our holiday. My husband and I had the Crispy Fried Rock Shrimp Tempura served with a sweet chili dipping sauce to start. Beautifully presented in an edible basket, these juicy, lightly battered rock shrimp had a sauce with the perfect level of spiciness. 

Our son enjoyed the BBC Chicken and Jack Cheese Dumplings, toasted corn bread and crispy Vidalia onions. I loved the presentation of these, and having tasted the dumplings can honestly say they had the potential to become quite addictive! 

While our son enjoyed the Eventi burger which arrived perfectly cooked to order for his main course, my husband and I ordered Steak Frites. Now my husband and I are a chef’s nightmare as I like my steak done on the more done side of medium, and my husband likes his medium rare. This was one of the few times both our steaks arrived perfectly cooked and although steak frites may be a simple dish, the Café at Eventi took it to a whole other level.  This was a grilled six ounce fillet mignon with a white truffle béarnaise sauce and herbed French fries. It was exquisite –just the comfort food we craved on that last evening of our holiday. The side of green beans we ordered was the perfect foil to this wonderful dish, and there were plenty of them for us to share.  For dessert, a beautiful portion of crème brulee and a simple plate of cookies served the three of us – and were the perfect ending to a wonderful meal.

I must apologise for the quality of the photographs in this post, along with the fact that there are none of the main courses, but I had not thought that I would be writing about a dinner in a temporary Café! in fact I had to borrow a camera.

The menu we had said “The Café @ Eventi - The Best Kept Secret in Town” on the front. It sure was! I had no idea we would have such a wonderful meal, and I have great expectations for both the Food Parc and the Bar Basque which I hope to be able to visit very soon. In fact, I kind of wish there was some way for them to keep the Café too – it was just so damn good it seems a shame to lose it. However, from the quality of our experience I’m confident that all the good stuff we enjoyed at the Café will some how be rolled up in the two new venues at this great hotel.

I’m not sure of the opening dates for the Food Parc, although ‘September’ is mentioned on their website, and I believe the Bar Basque opens in October. But whenever it might be, whatever dining facilities they are offering, if you find yourself in New York City anywhere near the Avenue of the Americas (6th Avenue) and West 29th Street, do visit the Eventi and sample the delicious dining experience they offer. I'm sure you will be very glad you did.

The 21st Century Housewife was not paid or compensated in any way for this post.

Jamie's Italian

Located on the riverside overlooking the canal in the Oracle Centre in Reading, the newest branch of Jamie's Italian is really striking. Spread over two floors, the centrepiece is a beautiful bubble chandelier. Decorated in casual Italian style, there are open kitchens on each floor, where you can see the chefs hard at work. They don't take reservations as their ethos is casual food when you want it. This does mean that at busy times you may have to queue up outside, but there are staff on hand and it is all very organised.



We were lucky when we visited yesterday as we managed to get in just before the rush. We had a very warm welcome and the efficient table allocation system and the friendly and smiling staff do everything they can to make your visit an enjoyable one. You are offered water the moment you arrive, and it comes from the tap in a carafe with ice. There is none of this nonsense about £4 bottles of water offered from a menu, something which I find very irritating in a country where the tap water is perfectly safe to drink and bottled water retails for so much less than that. I found the rest of the menu offered good value for money as well. The glass of house white I ordered turned out to be a very tasty unoaked Chardonnay. There is a good wine list, with something at all price points and a really good selection of soft drinks as well.

I was impressed by how knowledgeable the waiting staff are about the very extensive menu. From gorgeous antipasti to hearty pasta and intriguing and delicious main courses, there is truly something for everyone. There is also a good selection of specials displayed on boards throughout the restaurant. Although clearly a place that wants to serve as many covers as they can, there is never any feeling of being rushed, and those who want to linger over several courses are just as welcome as those who only want a quick bite to eat. I was particularly taken by a a scene at the table behind us, where the parents and friends enjoyed tapas while their little one sat fascinated, his back to the table and his chin in his hands as he watched the cooks in the kitchen.

The food is amazing - really inventive dishes freshly cooked and beautifully presented. I had the Chicken Caesar Salad, the salad served separately from the chicken which was laid on a wooden board. It was well cooked, tender and absolutely delicious.



I was also impressed by how the menu emphasised the traceability of the food. My chicken was free range, much of the seafood was from Cornwall and producers and sources were highlighted. This is clearly an operation that prides itself on ethical, traceable food sources, something which is so important in these days of intensive farming.

My husband chose one of the daily specials, a breast of lamb served on a bed of lentils which he said was amazing. I don't eat lamb, but I tasted the lentils and frankly I could have just eaten them by themselves, with a spoon!



Even the side dishes are intriguing. We chose the strangely coloured thyme roasted heirloom potatoes which were really interesting, and once I got over the idea of eating a purple potato, I really enjoyed them. It's nice to see a restaurant seeking out heirloom vegetable varieties and using them creatively.



This is casual, elegant dining for the 21st century, a fantastic marriage of Italian cafe society with well prepared, delicious value for money food in England. Well done to Jamie Oliver for his excellent concept, and well done to his staff for making it work so very well. This wonderful new venue is somewhere I definitely plan to become a regular customer.

The Difference Good Service Makes

I have always believed that the quality of service you get in a restaurant affects your enjoyment of the meal more than anything else. Even if the food is only just okay, good service can make or break an evening. I had first hand experience of this the other night in Santana Row, San Jose.

A few evenings before, my husband and I had gone into Maggiano’s restaurant in Olin Avenue just on the off chance of getting a table. They were really busy, but the hostess said that if we waited in the bar for about 45 minutes she could get us a table. We were in no rush and I was very happy to have a cocktail, so pulled up a chair at the bar and settled in for a chat. While we sat there, I noticed plates of food coming out that looked absolutely wonderful. My mouth was watering, especially when I saw a side dish of asparagus that had more of my favourite vegetable on it than I had ever seen in one place before. I was just commenting on it when our pager went off. It was less than half an hour later so our expectations had been managed beautifully.

Everyone was really welcoming as we walked into the restaurant, and our server was with us before we knew it. She was really chatty and informative, and helped us to get to grips with an absolutely huge menu. There were so many choices. She mentioned that “small plates” would actually serve two people, and that we should only order a large if were really, really hungry. As servings are generous in the US anyway, and we had no fridge back at the hotel for a “doggie bag”, we decided to take her advice. So we ordered a small Caesar Salad, a plate of lobster linguini and one of those lovely side orders of asparagus I had seen when I was sitting in the bar.

When it came to the wine list, our server was really well informed, and helped us to choose an excellent wine at the price point we wanted. She did not even attempt to up-sell us, and brought us a really interesting wine with a great story behind it from Seven Daughters Winery. It was a blend of white grapes and my goodness it was delicious – nicer in fact than many other wines I have paid a lot more for.

The Caesar Salad was just right for sharing, and it was beautifully prepared. Our pasta was wonderful, and not only was the “small plate” enough for the two of us, we actually could not even finish that. The side of asparagus was absolutely loaded with beautifully steamed spears that in the end even I - the queen of asparagus lovers – could not finish. Seriously, there were at least three dozen spears of asparagus on that plate. My husband and I were just pleasantly full, and we had brilliant service throughout the meal at just the right speed – not too fast, not too slow.

We really could not manage dessert, and our server did not attempt to push us to have any. Instead she brought us a complimentary plate of beautiful half moon shaped lemon iced cookies – on her! They were light and delicious, and we managed to find room for every single one of them. The whole bill with wine was less than $75 (plus a generous tip) and we had a fantastic evening. In fact, it was so good that my husband, who was in San Jose on business, decided we should bring some of his team to dinner at Maggiano’s when they arrived in San Jose from the UK on the weekend. We booked a table for six people on the Sunday evening.

It was busy when we arrived with the others on Sunday, but no busier than on the night we had come on our own. We didn’t have to wait long for our table, but I was sad to see that our server was not working that night. Never mind, there was a nice chap assigned to us so we were sure all would be well. Unfortunately, he was clearly overwhelmed. He offered no explanation of the menu, leaving our guests a bit bemused when we tried to explain that you really did not need to order one dish each, and that it was better to share. I could see them thinking that perhaps we were trying to be cheap.

We ordered the wine straight away, choosing the one we had the first night we visited. I kid you not, it took nearly thirty minutes for the wine and soft drinks to arrive and the server still had not taken our order. We had to ask for the drinks twice. No one wants to feel rushed, but this was ridiculous. When the server finally came to take our order, he further reinforced the idea we might be trying to be a bit cheap by doing nothing to indicate he agreed with what we were saying about the serving sizes, encouraging us to order quite a lot. It was embarrassing because we knew there would be far too much food, and yet we did not want to appear to be inhospitable to our guests. We had three starter dishes between six people, all of which were very good, but by the time we had finished we were all getting pretty full. The three main courses – large plates this time – we ordered were more than enough food for seven or eight people. They were all well prepared, especially our by now favouite lobster linguini and a dish of steak medallions with garlic mashed potatoes. Sadly the delicious Shrimp and Angel Hair al’ Arrabbiata was barely touched as no one had any room for it. The service was mind-bendingly slow throughout and we were in the restaurant for almost three hours – this on a night when most of party were severely jet lagged and just wanted a nice meal before retiring. It was like pulling teeth trying to get a second bottle of wine as well.

We were so disappointed, and the other members of our party were at a loss as to how we could have raved about our previous experience. Needless to say our bill was expensive, particularly as we left a huge amount of food on the table.

And this is where it all falls down. Our four guests will never return to Maggiano’s again. Although the food was very good, the service was so poor it has put them off completely. It has certainly made us think twice about going back again or recommending it. Although we hardly live locally, we and many of our contemporaries visit the area regularly. The company my husband works for has a base in that area with a huge number of employees – and word travels fast about good or bad places to eat. It’s a bit like the old shampoo commercial – “and she told two friends, and so on and so on”. It’s not like they are going to go bankrupt over it or anything, but they will lose potential business. As for us, we’d probably give Maggiano’s one more try based on our first experience and the quality of the food. But there’s only two of us, and I’d hesitate to recommend the restaurant based on our second experience.

So often there is not enough importance put on the fact that good service can make or break a restaurant. It’s not just about the tip a server gets (or doesn’t get) that night, it’s about whether people tell their friends good things about a restaurant and whether they come back. It’s also about what people say and write. If I had only gone to this branch of Maggiano’s in Santana Row the once it would have made it on to my Recommended Restaurants page no problem. As it is, I really cannot put it there, and it is completely the fault of the server on the second night.

Waiting staff are a huge part of a restaurant's lifeblood. They need to be trained and nurtured, and their performance needs to be monitored if a restaurant wants repeat clientele. Leave things to chance and a restaurant won’t just lose the people who dine there on a particular night, they'll lose future business as well. It’s a timely lesson in these days of a wobbly economy, and one restaurants will ignore at their peril.

A Taste of California

I always enjoy visiting the Bay Area and this time is no exception. We are based in the fashionable Santana Row in San Jose this time, and as well as some fantastic shopping we have been enjoying some wonderful food.

We arrived late on Sunday evening and of course the restaurants in Santana Row were pretty busy as it was Valentine's Day. Eventually my husband and I gave up trying to get a table anywhere and returned to the hotel we were staying at to try to get a snack in their popular Vbar. The friendly staff and convivial atmosphere were just what we needed after a stressful day's travelling, and we were delighted with the bar snacks that were available. Although billed as appetizers, the servings were incredibly generous and the dishes on offer were original and inventive. My husbands turkey club sandwich had the delightful addition of avocado and my beef quesadillas were spicy comfort food at its best. We also shared some delicious potato skins dressed with sharp cheese and crisp bacon. They also had a huge menu of drinks and cocktails, and although we chose to just have the more staid beer (for my husband) and wine (for me), we are looking forward to returning with a more adventurous spirit later in the week!

Yesterday we headed out to Los Gatos, and re-visited an old favourite, Steamers Grillhouse. Located just behind the quaint main street, Steamers is a wonderful place for seafood. Last time we were there we had the most wonderful three course evening meal, but we had an equally delightfulexperience at lunch yesterday. The service is friendly, efficient and discreet, and the food is fresh and creatively prepared. My husband's fillet of sole with lemon butter was beautifully flavoured and served with a side of homemade coleslaw.




I had a Shrimp Louis salad that was loaded with shrimp and had a traditional Louis dressing that was one of the nicest I have ever tasted. (Shrimp Louis salads and I go a long way back!)

Los Gatos is a great place to wander around on a sunny afternoon or balmy evening, and there are no shortages of cafés, bars and restaurants to enjoy. When we began to feel a bit tired later on, we stopped in at Great Bear Coffee for some delicious coffee. It's a great place to relax and there is free internet access ( you can charge your computer too!). The interesting art on the walls is for sale, and people seemed relaxed and comfortable chatting, reading, or in one case, playing Monopoly!

We were planning to meet up with friends back at Santana Row for dinner and as they were bringing their little girl we thought somewhere fun and casual would be the best bet. We were not disappointed by our old favourite The Cheesecake Factory at Valley Fair Mall, just across from Santana Row. As always the service was fantastic, the food delicious, the servings generous and the cheesecake something you definitely need to share! I just love their Luau Salad.



Made with giant fried wontons, chicken, fresh greens, peppers, carrots, macadamia nuts and sesame seeds, this salad is definitely not the low-cal choice, but wow is it ever delicious! My husband had one of their specials - a Salisbury steak, mashed potato and green bean comfort combo that went down a treat. Our friend had a fantastic cheeseburger which she really enjoyed and her daughter had a great choice of food on their kid's menu. The cute little sundae they brought her at the end was fantastic.

I'm looking forward to enjoying more of the great food and hospitality this area has to offer over the next week or so, so if you will excuse me, I am just off to the hotel gym!

A Casual Midweek Dinner

We went out for dinner Thursday night on the spur of the moment, which is not usually a good idea when you live just west of London. Most restaurants are booked solid nearly every night of the week, and Thursday is often considered the warm up to the weekend, so your chances of getting a table on spec are pretty much nil. Sure enough, when we arrived at the fashionable canal-side in Reading, every restaurant we walked into was fully booked or had at least a forty minute wait for a table. We decided to try just one more restaurant before we gave up and went home, and went into 'Strada' without much hope, particularly when the couple in front of us turned down an offer of a table in about - you guessed it - forty minutes. The advantage was, there were three of us, and the host said he had a table that should be available in about six minutes. That didn't seem too long a wait, particularly as we have been to Strada before and really enjoy their creative menu and delicious food. And sure enough, we were shown to a perfectly laid table in less than the promised six minutes.

Although Strada do not have a bar area in their Reading branch, the restaurant itself is nicely laid out, so that you feel the buzz of being in a lively restaurant, but you've got plenty of elbow room at the table. Their menu is quite varied with lots of choices for just about everyone. As the majority of the food is prepared to order, should there be an ingredient you are not keen on they are more than happy to leave it out. Our son ate from the main menu, choosing one of Strada's delicious pizza Florentina. It had both cooked and fresh spinach which made for a delicious contrast.

My husband and I were impressed with their set menu which offered three courses for just £13.50 so we decided to work our way through that. It offered two choices of starter, Bruschetta con Peperonata and a Gnocci dish. I hesitated about the bruschetta because one of the ingredients was goat's cheese, something I really do not care for, but the waiter said the chef would be more than happy to leave it off so I chose that. It was really delicious with wonderful roast peppers, and a great way to wet my appetite. (Mind you as it was by now nearly 9pm my appetite was pretty sharp already!) My husband had the gnocci, baby potato dumplings with a delicious sauce. We both selected the same choice from the five main courses on offer for dinner, a Risotto Verdure with freshly grilled asparagus, broad beans, peas, courgettes and spring onions flavoured with grana padano cheese and mint. It was lovely and obviously freshly prepared as the risotto was perfectly al dente. All the vegetables were fresh and crisp and the balance of flavours was perfect. There were only two choices for dessert, a Tiramisu or a Pannacotta, so we decided to have one of each. Both were exceptionally delicious and definitely homemade.

I can't speak highly enough of the service. The waiter was friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. I was also very impressed that a refillable bottle of chilled filtered water and water glasses appeared when we ordered our drinks. It was refilled without hesitation throughout the meal - we did not even have to ask.

It's always hard to recommend a whole chain of restaurants in its entirely as the staff really do make or break these places, but the experiences we have had in our local Strada would encourage me to try one elsewhere without hesitation. The Strada website says that Strada "is all about quality, freshly prepared pizzas, pastas and risottos served in stylish, contemporary surroundings". In this case, it definitely is, and I highly recommend it.

I would recommend booking in advance if possible to ensure you get a table. Strada have locations through the UK and you can use their online booking service by clicking here. Our local branch which we enjoyed on Thursday is canal-side in The Oracle Shopping Centre at 20 The Riverside, Reading, RG1 2AG - telephone on +44 (0) 118 939 4861.

I'm also very impressed by Strada's website, which even offers video recipes. Click here to learn how to make some of their signature dishes from Maurice Maffeo, their Head Development Chef.


(This is a personal review. The opinions are mine and I was not compensated by Strada in any way.)