Prezzo, Oswestry

Reviewer's rating *** When a Shropshire Star reader recommended that we taste test the Prezzo restaurant in Oswestry it was a good chance to take our teenagers for a rare Austin night out betwixt their summer expeditions, writes Sue Austin.

Prezzo is just one of the handful of major High Street names that have arrived in Oswestry in recent years, along with big brand coffee shops, hair salons and one of the biggest retail pullers of them all, M&S.

We had not booked as it was a Tuesday night but I was surprised at the number of diners. However with a special offer voucher scheme for the restaurant currently available on the net, I guess many were taking advantage.

The restaurant has three different eating areas, one in the window, another large open area by the pizza oven and the narrow middle area where we were seated, all with very different atmospheres.

Although I like the area around the oven, Mel was happier where we were - a much quieter area where we could all have a decent conversation.

To start we ordered an antipasto starter to share, along with a bowl of calamari. The former was a large wooden platter with prosciutto ham, salami milano, buffalo mozzarella, marinated olives, semi-dried tomatoes, fresh rocket and focaccia bread (£8.95).

The latter was tasty calamari dusted with seasoned flour and served with garlic mayonnaise (£4.95).

It went well with the wine, a Pinot Grigio Blush Sophie had chosen to accompany the food.

With the calamari and garlic mayonnaise it made an ideal way for a group to start a meal.

We were so busy catching up with each other we were surprised when our waitress came up and apologised that our main meals had not arrived.

I actually enjoy having time between courses but I know too many people who munch their way through three and are up and gone in an obscenely short period of time.

Prezzo has a wide menu of Italian style dishes and Joe and Sophie stayed with the traditional. Joe decided to go for a pizza, the Tre Gusti, loaded with pepperoni sausage, seasoned chicken, pancetta bacon, fresh rosemary, mozzarella and tomato (£9.25). Sophie went for a Calzone Di Mare with oak roasted salmon, tiger prawns, broccoli, pomodoro sauce and cheese (£9.95).

They both said their food was great and Sophie was glad she had gone for the seafood.

Mel and I both chose a chicken dish - and he certainly chose more wisely than I did.

His Pollo Gorgonzola, chargrilled chicken breast with field mushrooms and leeks in a gorgonzola and cream sauce (£11.50) included a thick leek, mushroom and gorgonzola cheese sauce and he declared it really tasty with plenty of mushrooms.

It or the Pollo Ai Funghi, chargrilled chicken breast with field mushrooms and baby spinach in a marsala wine sauce (£11.50) would have been my choice.

But our reader had told us about Prezzo's new specials menu, created by one of its own chef's, Raul.

I chose Raul's chicken, ham, asparagus and gorgonzola. But sadly the cheese was not made into a sauce but dotted onto the ham and just softened.

I was really disappointed. I never go for dry dishes and to be honest it was just not that 'special'. In fact I eventually resorted to coating it in some of the pomodoro sauce that had come in a jug alongside Sophie's Calzone.

My meal was however saved by the gratinated potatoes I had chosen instead of fries or salad. There were delicious.

And my dessert, again chosen from Raul's special menu, was a real success. It was a twist on an Italian classic, a tiramasu cheesecake - tiramasu placed in a biscuit base and sides.

The others enjoyed their dessert choices, Sophie going for chocolate fudge cake with ice cream and the boys honeycomb smash cheesecake.

We had a lovely evening despite the one or two little niggles from the tiny table which gave the waitresses all kinds of headaches when serving us, to only being given a spoon with our deserts - I had to take a fork from the next table.

On the plus side the iced glasses for our jug of water were a nice touch.

ADDRESS

Prezzo Ristorante, 30 Church Street, Oswestry, SY11 3SP

Tel: 01691 650932

MENU SAMPLE

STARTERS

Baked mushrooms stuffed with grana padano cheese (£4.95); crab cakes with garlic mayonnaise (£5.50)

MAIN COURSES

Penne al Pollo Zafferano - seasoned chicken, red chilli, spinach and garlic in a saffron sauce (£9.25): Carne Picante Calzone - seasoned cicken meatballs, field mushrooms and crushed chillies withbolognaise sauce and cheese (£9.50)

DESSERTS

Vanilla Pannacotta served with raspberry coulis (£4.75); Toffee roast banana cheesecake topped with cream (£4.75)

ATMOSPHERE

Intimate and soft lighting or brighter and more busy, depending where you are seated

SERVICE

Attentive and friendly

DISABLED FACILITIES

Yes