Di Napoli, Wolverhampton

The sat nav said we had reached our destination, but it was not what was expected. A row of unassuming semis set back from Oldbury's busy Wolverhampton Road, and a small business park up the road.

But where was the stylish, vibrant Italian restaurant recommended by an Express & Star reader?

We went back onto the dual carriageway investigate the neighbouring commercial premises. There was a gym, a beauty salon... and then sandwiched between the two was a small sign welcoming visitors to the Di Napoli Italian restaurant.

Di Napoli was recommended by Express & Star reader Anne, who described it as a lovely, family-run restaurant.

"The atmosphere is great, the food wonderful, service is second-to-none and you are made to feel you are joining in with their family party." Needless to say, it was a party I was keen to join.

From the outside, it is not what you would expect. The huge, glass-fronted building looked like the reception block of an electronics factory, modern and functional, but giving very little away. The shared foyer did not give the best impression, with exposed plaster hinting that some kind of construction work was in progress.

But you can't judge a book by its cover, and how many people will have driven past this restaurant without giving it a second glance? Because those that have are missing out. While the approach may lack character, once inside this place is every bit as warm, stylish and enjoyable as Anne describes.

We made the mistake of arriving on a busy Friday night without a booking, but a friendly staff member invited us to take a seat while he found us a table.

We waited for around 20 minutes in the "pre-dinner drinks area", a few seats opposite the attractive bar with a red frosted glass frontage, stylishly illuminated by concealed lighting.

The decor is bright and modern, with the tasteful cream coloured walls relieved by a bit of red and green to give a subtle continental feel, without resorting to the fussy, overpowering decor of some restaurants.

The huge glass window which gives the exterior its brutal look makes for a light, airy atmosphere, and the neat, straight-grain tables, the minimalist black chairs, and silk flowers on each table complete the ambience.

The bar had a good choice of wines, plus two Italian beers. There are also the ubiquitous Carlsberg and Tetley's - the latter definitely not to The Insider's taste, but I suppose we can live and let live.

Our immaculately set table had been laid with olives, fresh bread, and a plate of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I went for the bread, while my companion chose the olives, which she described as "delicious", and we agreed they almost made for a starter in themselves.

The place was full, but not cramped, the atmosphere lively, but never rowdy. Di Napoli's website invites customers to let staff know if they are celebrating any special occasions so they can help make it memorable, and on this occasion there was a wedding proposal, which earned a round of applause, and a birthday, which prompted a communal sing-song of "Happy Birthday" as a cake was delivered.

A waitress explained there was usually an accordion player on Fridays, but he was absent on this occasion.

There was a good choice of beef, chicken, veal and fish dishes, as well as a vegetarian menu and a variety of pizzas, with staff saying they will try to meet any specific requests.

The intriguingly-named Sofia Loren pizza aught the eye of my companion, but in the end she opted for a Fiorentina, which was topped with spinach, ham, tomato and mozzarella. She said it was very filling and the topping rather moorish, although the base was a little on the bland side.

My filletto al pepe, a fillet steak in a cream pepper and brandy sauce, was superb, the meat beautifully cooked and tender, the sauce rich, creamy and full of flavour.

It wasn't cheap, though, at £17.50, and the price came as a bit of a surprise as the menu had been altered by hand, and I mistakenly read it as £11.50. Ouch.

Service could not be faulted, though. Di Napoli is a family business, and it shows. A silver-haired gentleman called Angelo made sure everything was to our satisfaction, asking what condiments we would like and grinding the black pepper from a tall mill.

"There's everybody working here, aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces," said a waitress called Angelina who brought the dessert trolley, so customers could see what's on rather than choosing from a menu.

I was tempted by the coffee cake, but in the end opted for a pleasant strawberry cheesecake which came with cream and a slice of fresh melon. My companion went for tiramisu, which she said was well worth the high-ish £4 price tag, adding that the fresh fruit that came with it made it even more delicious.

You have probably gathered that I enjoyed the experience. The food was excellent and, as Anne said, the staff really do make you feel like you are part of their own private party.

An unqualified recommendation, then? Well, not quite. While the staff had worked wonders in creating a cheerful Mediterranean atmosphere, a less welcome European characteristic was the inclusion of a 10 per cent service charge on the bill.

Sure, it was made clear that this was optional, but how many customers are going to ask for the bill to be amended so they do not have to pay?

After a delightful evening I would have cheerfully left a tip to thank the staff for their attentive service, but instead I grudgingly paid up and left. Good service should be rewarded, but is best left to the generosity of the customer. Frankly this took a little of the sheen off the evening.

And one more thing: The restaurant gives its address as Oldbury, Birmingham, which does not impress this dyed-in-the-wool Black Countryman.

Oldbury is not, repeat not, in Birmingham, and such abuse of the B-word is jolly bad form.

By The Insider

What else The Insider found at the Di Napoli:

Starters - a range of 14 available, priced £2.75 to £9.50, including prosciutto con melone; bruschetta con pomodoro (bread with tomatoes, onion and basil), gamberoni con alio e pepperoncini (king prawns in a garlic, chilli and wine sauce)

Pizza priced from £6.95 to £8.50, including margherita, funghi, primavera (mozzarella, fresh rocket and Parma ham), casalinga (olives, onion, salami, tomato and mozzarella)

Manzo (beef) from £14.50 to £16.50, including filletto rossini (fillet steak, with pate and madeira wine sauce), filleto alla grigla (grilled fillet steak) and bistecca alla pizzaiola (sirloin steak with garlic, tomato and wine sauce)

Pollo (chicken) - three dishes available, all priced £13.50 - pollo delizia (chicken breast with mushrooms, cream and brandy sauce), pollo alla pizzaiola (chicken with tomato, garlic and wine sauce), polla sorpresa (chicken filled with garlic butter, breadcrumbed and shallow fried)

Pesche (fish) from £13.50 to £15.95, including scampi provinciale (scampi in garlic, tomato and wine sauce served with rice) and seabass mugnaia (served in a white wine, lemon juice and garlic sauce)

Address: Di Napoli, 870A Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury. Call (0121) 544 9238