EMMA DUNN finds the atmosphere – but not the food – lacking at a revamped Italian eaterie

Buon Appetito 141 Faringdon Road, Swindon SN1 5DL Tel: 01793 534064 www.buonappetitorestaurant.co.uk

IT’S a funny feeling when the waiters outnumber the customers.

My boyfriend and I had gone to Buon Appetito in Faringdon Road, and were expecting it to be heaving as it was a Friday night.

But the restaurant, which is the sister restaurant of nearby La Carbonara, only had one other couple in it when we arrived, and they finished their meals not long after we sat down.

With a ratio of at least two waiters each, Scott and I were certainly made to feel welcome.

The restaurant itself was lovely, the staff were friendly and the decor had an authentic Italian feel.

The food on offer was very similar to the menu at La Carbonara, and I was tempted to go for the risotto I had enjoyed there a few weeks earlier.

But in the end I opted for the Penne Tegamino (£10.25) which was penne pasta with tomato, red wine, onions, sun-dried tomatoes and strips of fillet steak, and I was congratulated on my order.

Hearing the words ‘good choice’ filled me with hope for the meal ahead – and I felt quite pleased with myself for my taste in Italian food.

Scott ordered the calzone (£8.50), a fold-over pizza with mozzarella, tomato, ham and frankfurt.

It wasn’t long before the starters arrived. I had the Insalata Tricolore (£7.95), a salad of avocado, sliced tomato, mozzarella, herbs and olive oil, and it was beautifully presented. Both the salad and the mozzarella were fresh and it was a great dish, if a little pricey for a starter.

Scott started with the Pate Di Pollo (£6.95), which was chicken pate with toasted bread and salad garnish, and he said it was delicious.

The next course was just as good, my pasta was just the right texture and the beef was juicy and fresh. I would have liked a bit more tomato, but other than that it was indeed a good choice.

Scott’s calzone filled the whole plate and he ate every last mouthful. It must have been good because he was still talking about it the next day.

There was a great choice of puddings, including chocolate fudge cake and creme caramel, but neither of us could eat any more.

We both agreed that the food and the service was excellent, but it was just a shame that there weren’t any other people in there by the time we left at about 9pm. With a few more couples and families inside, the restaurant would have a great atmosphere and has the potential to be every bit as successful as its sister down the road.

The only other drawback was that we had to drive around a bit to find any parking, and ended up leaving the car in one of the nearby residential roads.

Our bill, which included two small glasses of wine, came to £42.90.