Catellani's, Wolverhampton

As the winter nights set in and everyone starts to crave some hearty, home-cooked fayre, Catellani's is well worth a visit.

Having only been to this restaurant once when it was Cataldo's, I was curious to see what one of the few Italian eateries left in Wolverhampton had to offer now. Having recently changed hands, it has been renamed Catellani's.

As my friend Natalie and I rushed in from the rain on a dark Saturday night just after 5pm, we were greeted by a waitress who guessed my name correctly - indicating that there weren't many diners booked in at such an early hour.

We were seated near a window, next to the only other couple inside. Italian music played in the background, with one waitress softly singing along as she cleared a table.

Funky silver wall lights meant the room was nicely dimmed with draped curtains left open so you could watch the world go by.

The blue and white colour scheme of the building was echoed indoors, with light walls and blue napkins and cups.

The windowsills featured busts, complementing paintings and an arty wall border made of pebbles.

Although the restaurant is quite small and intimate, there was a lot to look at as we waited to place our order. A black ornamental wine rack attached to the ceiling above the counter was one thing which caught our attention.

A basket of bread was brought over which we dipped in olive oil alongside and also complimentary black and green olives. A bowl of lemon water for washing our hands was a nice touch.

I had taken a peek at the menu and prices on-line, and went for Polio alla Crema - grilled chicken in a creamy white wine and mushroom sauce, served with separate crunchy carrots, new potatoes, mushrooms and cauliflower - priced £10.95.

Natalie chose the £9.95 Linguine di Mare - linguine pasta with mussels, prawns and squid. There was no waiting around as it was served to our table within 10 minutes.

The friendly manager came over and asked how we were. He also spoke to other diners and gave them advice on wine, before coming back and asking if our meals were okay.

Mine was delicious, and Natalie loved her tomato sauce so much she mopped it up with more bread.

On seeing the £4.50 dessert menu we asked a chatty waitress what Toscanella was, as did another couple. It was a gorgeous puff pastry base topped with a profiterole and chocolate. We shared that along with some equally sublime Italian chocolate cake.

All of the staff sounded Italian, which added to the authenticity of the place.

As we left, the manager and waitresses all waved us goodbye, making us feel like they really cared about their customers.

The bill came to £33.40, which included a large bottle of water - a bargain for such top-quality food and fabulous service.

Catellani's offers beautiful Italian food served in an authentic setting, with a nice personal touch.

The varied menu of pasta, risotto, meat, fish and pizza will please all tastes.

The food was delicious and served promptly, with excellent table service.

Myself and my friend had wiped both our mains and dessert plates clean - the food was simply too good to waste, and not overly filling.

The staff were lovely and chatty, including the manager who took time out to make sure everyone was happy.

I would firmly recommended this restaurant for groups of friends, couples and families who fancy a relaxed night out in an intimate setting.

Rita Maman

Catellani's: School Street, Wolverhampton

Telephone: 01902 428928

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 12 noon until 11pm

A full and varied menu of beautiful Italian food is sure to tempt even the fussiest taste buds. The pleasant, intimate surroundings add to this restaurant's charm and the city centre location makes it an ideal and accessible venue for any celebration. I would strongly recommend it to anyone looking to spend an enjoyable evening eating authentic and tasty Italian food.