For a taste of contemporary Italy on your doorstep, make your way to the nearest Strada. Whether it’s a lunchtime snack, a lazy afternoon meal, group birthday party or dinner date, this versatile Italian restaurant will not disappoint.

The menu showcases all that 21st-Century Italy has to offer, combined with some favourite recipes from the kitchens of the past; the result is a menu offering an extensive range of pasta, pizza, meat and fish dishes. Roasted king prawns with garlic, white wine, chilli, lemon, parsley and olive oil were both sweet and flavourful, packing a delightfully garlicky punch. The carpaccio di manzo – thinly-sliced cured beef fillet with rocket, lemon, Parmesan shavings and extra virgin olive oil – leaves you in no doubt as to the quality of Strada’s ingredients. With a bottle of complimentary filtered water on hand to quench our thirst, we splashed out on Gavi di Gavi La Minaia, Nicola Bergaglio Piemonte and relaxed.

The main course had me battling between choosing risotto di verdure – creamy risotto with freshly grilled asparagus, broad beans, peas, spring onions, zucchini, green beans and mint – and the linguine alla pescatora, which saw a bevy of succulent seafood amid white wine, garlic, chilli and fresh tomato sauce. In the end the aroma of freshly baked pizza won my affections, and the rustica, with its oven-roasted Italian sausage, baby artichokes, tomatoes, caramelised onions, capers and fresh oregano, showcased the skill of the chef. My dining companion revelled in her choice of seared yellow-fin tuna with cannellini bean salad and a chive, caper and lemon dressing – I have to admit it was fantastic. Before espressos, we plunged into traditional tiramisu and creamy pannacotta, and left with satisfied smiles on our faces.

Strada achieves a fine balance, combining the charms and authentic recipes of old Italy with its renowned cutting-edge style and decor. This is pure indulgence, and I’m already hooked.