Traitors Gate, Shrewsbury

Star Rating: *** Russell Roberts and his girlfriend Alison visit an eaterie which was highly recommended.

Sometimes a place just doesn't live up to expectations, and on my first visit to Traitors Gate Brasserie – located deep beneath Shrewsbury town centre – I was left slightly disappointed.

The vibe I had picked up from friends who have dined at the restaurant was that it was one of the town's best eateries. But, based on a Friday night visit to the brasserie with my girlfriend Alison, I'm afraid it's not somewhere I will be writing home about.

Don't get me wrong, the authentic Italian restaurant run by Giuliano Bernardini and his family, serves up decent food with plenty of emphasis on presentation.

The building is also an excellent setting for an evening meal, creating an intimate, romantic atmosphere with its attractive underground arches, dimmed lighting and brick walls decorated with Italian-themed items and pictures transporting you to the Mediterranean. But the food just lacks a certain quality which means it does not rival the likes of other top Italian restaurants in the county, not in my book anyway.

On arrival at the restaurant, which you gain access to from a short corridor off Castle Street, I was immediately impressed with the layout. It was the start of the weekend and the restaurant was busy.

Having scanned the drinks menu, I elected for a bottle of Peroni beer while Alison, who was unable to order a glass of her preferred wine, had to settle for a glass of the dry house white variety.

We both took our time to look through the range of starters with a chalk specials board also brought out for us to examine by the host.

I liked the sound of the ravioli served in a tomato sauce from the specials board, while Alison decided on the succulent field mushrooms topped with a duxelle of breadcrumbs, garlic, oregano, with a delicate hint of French mustard and grilled.

While waiting for our starters to arrive we were given bread rolls with butter, biscuit-type snacks and fresh green and black olives to whet our appetites.

My ravioli was average and certainly did not blow me away. Alison's mushroom dish looked unpleasant and uninspiring and turned out that it tasted only slightly better than it appeared.

I don't want to give the impression that Traitors Gate is a poor choice for a meal out, because it isn't and that would not be fair. But I simply feel that it does not pack the same punch as I had been led to believe.

Feeling slightly disappointed by the starters, we both hoped that our mains would offer that little bit extra.

I was optimistic with my choice of pan-fried lamb cutlets, which came in an onion, redcurrant jelly and sherry sauce served with potatoes and either vegetables or mixed salad.

Alison, meanwhile, picked the tempting king prawns sautéed in butter with onion, pineapple and pimentos, flamed with rum and finished with a touch of cream and coconut.

There was a nice break between finishing our starters and the arrival of our main courses, which looked fantastic with a clear amount of effort put in to how they appeared.

My lamb was nice and tender and the sauce was delicious, although it was far too small a portion and the vegetables and potatoes were also in short supply.

Alison, who is a big lover of seafood, simply remarked that her prawns were well cooked and that the dish was okay. She said that she was not overly impressed by the sauce accompanying her prawns and it told as she left a fair amount on her plate at the end.

Unusually for a meal out, we both felt relatively hungry and so we asked to see the desserts.

Staff at the restaurant are friendly and clearly care passionately about their diners. Mr Bernardini took the time to explain in detail the variety of puddings which are available, virtually all of which contain some alcohol.

After hearing the choices, I fancied the sound of the chocolate torte, which looked spectacular when it arrived. But although the dessert itself was delicious, I found the accompanying sauce too rich and overpowering, which ruined it.

Alison picked the tiramisu, which again looked fantastic and was wonderfully creamy, and was probably one of the better options.

On finishing our desserts we waited 20 minutes before finally asking for the bill, which the waitress unfortunately forgot about, leading to a further delay of about 10 minutes.

If a restaurant wants to charge between £12 and £20 for a main course I expect it to be quality, but if I'm brutally honest, Traitors Gate failed to hit the mark.

I would happily go for a meal there again, but for a similar price there are better options in my opinion.

MENU SAMPLE

Starters

Sliced smoked salmon with diced tomato and olive oil, lemon juice and ground black pepper dressing (£6.55)

Main courses

Grilled fillet of sea bass with straw potatoes and salsa verde (£15.95)

Desserts

Tiramisu (£4.45)

ATMOSPHERE

Intimate and cosy with a traditional Italian theme

SERVICE

Friendly and relaxed

DISABLED FACILITIES

Ring restaurant beforehand to arrange assistance

Contact: Traitors Gate Brasserie, Castle Street, St Mary's Water Lane, Shrewsbury. Tel: 01743 249152