Zonzo offers tasty Italian fare but the confused decor could do with a bit of a revamp.

The Venue
A nice-sized intimate restaurant with a bar and open kitchen, with terracotta coloured tiles and a wood-burning stove. The interior is not really what you’d expect from an Italian restaurant however. Absent are checked table clothes, candles and warbling music, and instead you’ll find murals of Venice in between textured plaster walls, with strange pictures and a Roman-inspired feature made of the sky light and door to the toilets. Not quite sure what kind of look they are going for.

The Atmosphere
The location on Edgware Road means it doesn’t really attract much of a passing trade of Italian food seekers, so it only seems to be visited by people who live or work in the area. On a recent Friday night it was quite quiet, but it’s generally the kind of place to both attract couples for a cosy meal as well as larger groups to celebrate special occasions. The service is quick and friendly.

The Food
An extensive menu offers traditional fare such as pizzas, pasta and salads, in addition to meat and seafood dishes and regularly changing specials. The grilled king tiger prawns (£7.50) are succulent and tasty, drenched in a garlic, chilli, mint and white wine sauce and served with salad. The special of steamed mussel and clam broth is also pretty good, with plump shellfish in a delicious garlicky soup to soak up with ciabatta.

For mains, you can’t go wrong with the impressively authentic carbonara (£9.50), a delicately creamy sauce that you can have with any choice of pasta. The seabass is also a great option (£13.50), pan stirred in a fragrant spicy sauce, served with buttered spinach and sauteed potatoes. Delicious.

Dessert-wise there are more traditional favourites around £4.50, including tiramisu and tarta mala casalinga (pastry lattice filled with liqueur soaked sponge and sliced apple). Although not on the menu, a nice option is to ask for vanilla ice cream drenched with a shot of your favourite liqueur. If you’ve got room for more after all that, try a scrumptious liqueur coffee topped with cream, a perfect finish to the meal.

The Drink
The wine list is reasonably priced at £12.50 - £50 and is mainly Italian, with a couple of options from New Zealand and Argentina thrown in.

The Last Word
The food is authentic, good quality and reasonably priced, but the venue’s decor could do some attention before Zonzo becomes an Italian gem.

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