A timely trip to Manicomio

Despite a fairly disastrous meal at Manicomio, I can't bring myself to dislike it. It's a welcome addition to a part of the world with not a lot going on restaurant-wise and, on a glowing autumn day, the new Duke Of York Square was an attractive place to hang out.

Sadly, everyone else had the same idea and the restaurant hadn't accounted for a packed-out dining room plus a mobbed outdoor terrace. Our table of nine, including five hungry children, threw them into a panic: it was more than an hour before we tasted our starters; two of my choices had sold out; and our children were turning feral.

When the food finally arrived, it showed some flair and fabulous quality (the owners have an Italian food company, and it shows). Buffalo mozzarella was silky, squidgey perfection; crab with 'yellow beans' - like albino French - was fresh and pungent with a great a'oli; and delicious rosemary focaccia was authentically salty.

But there were lapses: 'linguine' - spaghetti, actually - showed little sign of the billed chilli and garlic, and, for £12, there were not nearly enough king prawns. Cod came with an anodyne salsa verde and mushy green lentils. Three hours after we arrived, we couldn't face a further wait for puddings. Incidentally, Manicomio is Italian for 'madhouse'. Too right.

Manicomio
85 Duke of York Square, SW3 4LY