Situated in London’s Covent Garden, this Italian family run business is somewhat of a disappointment.

The Venue
La Quercia D’Oro is a long-established restaurant in the heart of Covent Garden. The venue is intimate - some would say small and cramped - but on the whole is unpretentious and almost does what it says on the tin.

The Atmosphere
The clientele is a mixture of office workers and birthday revellers. The occasional tourist almost guarantees a walk-in clientele, although with 40 covers perched on creaking furniture this place could use an update.

The Food
Spaghetti alle Vongole, £7, is a classic Italian dish and very simple to prepare. However, the clams don’t taste fresh - not a good sign - and when the waiter offers to sprinkle Parmesan over the dish, alarm bells start ringing. You would not expect to sprinkle grated cheese over your fish and chips, so why over clams? Apparently cheese is expected when it comes to pasta.

The veal, at £15, on the other hand, is much better: tender, not overcooked and the accompanying vegetables of sauteed potatoes and fresh spinach are more than adequate. Puddings starting at £4.50 offer the usual Italian staples of tiramisu and ice cream: nothing special but adequate if you’re not too adventurous. The tiramisu is pleasant enough, not too dry but not runny either. In a party of four, you can expect to pay in the region of between £25 - £35 pounds per person.

The Drink
A good selection of Italian wines are on offer. Bottles of the house wine are popular, and priced starting at £10.90, are a good way to complete the meal.

The Last Word
La Quercia D’Oro cannot be described as an authentic Italian restaurant. Although it does some dishes well, it is not without fault.

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