HOT: Ciao Bella Restaurant, 86 - 90 Lamb's Conduit St, Holborn WC1N 3LZ

Ciao Bella is the kind of Italian restaurant I generally try to avoid - cheesy decor, Italian-coloured laminated menus and a greatest hits menu of pizza and pasta. However, Duncan and Suzanne had recommended it, and Marc and Tim had both enjoyed it, so I kept an open mind while nibbling my grissini sticks and contemplating the long list of pastas. I can see why the formula works - the restaurant was bustling on a weeknight, the large servings of rustic food is cheap and flavoursome and Monday night seems to be cabaret night with a white grand piano plopped incongrously on the crowded restaurant floor. I tried the spaghetti con polpette (meatballs) which sat like a rock in my stomach, so next time I'll be trying Duncan's envy-inducing spaghetti al cartuccio (seafood spaghetti in a bag).