Sabatino's Restaurant Clarence House, Clarence Place, Newport Tel: 01633 250555

Having previously enjoyed Sabatino's Restaurant during the festive season, it was refreshing to be welcomed into the calm and relaxed atmosphere of a normal Friday evening.

We were greeted by a smiling Italian waiter and offered a choice of having drinks in the bar area, which was already occupied by a large party, or having our bottle of house white wine brought to our table.

We opted for the latter and were shown to a corner table against terracotta-tinged walls which lend the large and airy room a certain warmth.

The menu offers a vast and varied choice of dishes and we were not disappointed with our choices of polpette (Italian meatballs in tomato sauce) and prosciutto e melone (parma ham with melon) to start.

These were speedily followed by vitello mare e monte (veal on a bed of spinach with a wine sauce of bacon, mushrooms and king prawns) and pollo alla Fiorentina (chicken breast stuffed with spinach and mushrooms cooked with tomato and cheese).

From the dessert trolley, we devoured vanilla profiteroles (made by our waiter's own fair hand) and torte di limone (lemon gateau).

"Quick and efficient" is a fair description of the service throughout.

We arrived at 8pm and sixty minutes later, we were full to bursting!

However, we were left for the next hour to enjoy the comfortable, informal atmosphere and to chat and finish our wine.

The bill: £56.