A pasta master of quality and quantity

I'd beeb wary of trying this restaurant. Particularly when I discovered that owner Stefano Stecca’s self-declared passion for "simple" Italian cooking is rather at odds with the fact that he was formerly head chef of Brunello in Kensington’s Baglioni Hotel — a place about as simple and unpretentious as a gold lavatory.

However, the first of many pleasant surprises was finding ourselves in a lovely and indeed "simple" white space. Ask to be seated in the conservatory as it’s the best spot for people watching (George Michael’s a regular, apparently). The second surprise was the prices: two courses for £18, three for £21 and four for £24. Bargain! Particularly when they were courses of such outstanding quality and quantity.

My antipasti — three versions of tuna — was as beautiful to look at as it was to eat and although my date’s choice of veal with tuna sauce was our feast’s one non-triumph, the rest deserved a standing ovation. For the pasta course, I had paccheri with a succulent tomato and basil sauce. My date went for tagliatelle bolognese. Both were dinners in themselves — no nouvelle cuisine-style portions here.

Next up were the mains. Rack of lamb came wonderfully pink, and my Dover sole luxuriated in just the right amount of butter.

After a little break, we couldn’t resist splitting a tiramisu, and thank goodness we did because this one was amazingly light (in texture if not calorie content). We didn’t spot George, but we did envy him having this restaurant on his doorstep.

Osteria Stecca
1 Blenheim Terrace, St John’s Wood, NW8 0EH