CARBONE

There's a certain swagger about Carbone, a retro-themed restaurant that pays tribute to the New York-Italian diners from the 1950s. Everything about it is big, bold and loud: the menus are larger than placemats, the tables generously proportioned. Music is cranked up, as is the din of diners, which bounces off the timber panelled walls and chequered floor. It's the sort of place for a good night out with friends rather than a tête-à-tête, though if you're after that, no one will overhear you. Couples are usually seated in the more intimate front bar, which is also good for a pre-dinner cocktail. Servings are huge and suitable for sharing—comfort food at fine dining prices. Think tubes of rigatoni bathed in a kickass vodka, tomato, onion and chilli sauce, or a slab of veal parmesan, smothered with gooey tomato and buffalo mozzarella that's made for sharing among friends. Lighten up the meal with a caprese salad, which comes with a colourful mix of heirloom tomatoes, burrata and salsa verde. The wine list is an interesting diversion through Italy, France and the USA, though mark-ups may raise eyebrows. Staff are effusive and knowledgeable, the type you expect to find in a spirited joint like

Carbone.