Daphne's - 110 Draycott Avenue, SW3
Clifford Mould spent a very pleasant evening at this establishment haunt

 It's often the little details that  let you know, right from the start whether you're going to have a good time or not at a restaurant. So when a good looking selection of breads came out within moments of our being seated at Daphne's the other night, I thought, good show!. But hell, this is an Italian restaurant, and seconds later along came a saucer of vivid green virgin olive oil. Actually I think it was extra virgin. Which made me think, is there really such a thing as extra virgin? Surely, either one is or is not a virgin? Shouldn't it be the same for oil? Maybe an extra virgin is merely one that's surplus to requirements. Anyway, this oil didn't remain virgin for long: it was soon poked up the ooh la la with the grissini - breadsticks, that bore all the hallmarks of being home made, a world away from those perfectly regular but ghastly inedible things wrapped in cellophane.

Daphne's was one of several restaurants that were originally set up by the bon viveur Mogens Tholstrup. In its early days it was a favourite of Princess Diana and had a reputation for being a hang out for IT girls and Sloanes. Since having been taken over by the group that owns the Ivy, the emphasis now is more on the enjoyment of the food rather than just trying to get piccie'd in Hello Magazine. The decor is in a simple rustic style, more Knightsbridge than Chiantishire - terracotta and exposed brick, but with nicely dressed tables. 

So back to the cooking: the antipasti selection at Daphne's is good. These are simple dishes, mainly  centred around one or two good Italian staples: really good Parmesan with rocket and a balsamic dressing, or the tricolore Caprese of mozzarella, tomato and basil, or even just a plate of cured ham from Sardinia. We shared the smoked tuna, pictured right, sliced finely like a carpaccio, with a simple salad of fennel, equally wafer thin, enhanced by a delicately aromatic dressing. The usual meatiness of the tuna seemed accentuated by the smoking such that if I had tasted it blind I might not have known it was fish. It was both intriguing and delicious.

Next we had risotto and gnocchi, separately of course! The risotto was of text book quality - creamy, with the rice still a tiny bit crunchy, and the flavour of wild mushroom gently pervading. Gnocchi can be rather bland, but that's when the sauce they're in is lacking definition. In this case, the gratinated Gorgonzola béchamel was so intensely flavoured that you realised what a perfect carrier these soft little potato dumplings can be.

There is a good selection of meat and fish dishes, from the traditional polpette brasate, braised meatballs in a tomato ragu, or rack of lamb with butternut squash to char-grilled rib of Glen Fynne beef with roasted Italian onions. Fish eaters can choose from bream, tuna, tiger prawns, sea bass or sole. I had the grilled squid which for once really tasted of both fish and of chargrilling,. It came partnered with a cured ham of pressed pork shoulder, kicked up yet another notch by a tangy salsa. Then there was roast rabbit, a more than generous portion, the meat wrapped in pancetta and stuffed with a herb farci. The meat was tender and not dry, which can be the problem with rabbit - I'd give it a bunny rating of nine out of ten. As I said, the portions are already generous, but don't miss out on at least one of the contorni (vegetable accompaniments). Roasted pumpkin with amaretti is especially good. Pictured left: dressed crab with grilled pagnotta.

Some of the puds are a little predictable - the usual crème brulée variant, the mandatory Tiramisu, but I expect they're the most popular desserts on the menu!  Pears poached in Barolo retained some pleasing texture and the vaniglia ice cream and pistachio biscotti were both good. The amaretti cheesecake was light and could have been stronger on the almond flavour, but the accompanying glazed figs were super. Next time I'll try the iced berries and hot white chocolate sauce, sounds terrific, how the hell did I miss it?

The wine list is smallish but hits just the right note, with a nice balance between Italy and the "rest of the world". House wines start at an affordable £13.00, but in the case of the Italian reds, there's a hefty hike to the next one up, a Cabernet from Friuli at £22.50. Service was efficient and charming.

The cost of your meal: A la carte typically £50 a head. For a bargain visit, try the lunch menu, which changes daily. (See below)

Daphne's - 112 Draycott Avenue, SW3 Tel 020 7589 4257

See also March 2003 review of sister restaurant: Pasha and Bam-Bou

DAPHNE'S SEASONAL LUNCH MENU
THURSDAY 27TH FEBRUARY 2003

2 COURSES £14.25 3 COURSES £18.50

GNOCCHI POMODORO E BASILICO
PAN-FRIED POTATO DUMPLINGS WITH TOMATO & BASIL

OR

INSALATA DI INDIVIA, PERA, NOCI E PECORINO
ENDIVE, PEAR, WALNUT & PECORINO SALAD

*****

COSTOLETTA DI MAIALE CON PURE DI PATATE E FUNGHI SELVATICI
PORK CUTLET WITH OLIVE MASH AND SAUTÉED WILD MUSHROOMS

OR

FILETTO DI SOGLIOLA CON TREVISANO E PORRI
FILLET OF LEMON SOLE WITH SEARED TREVISO, LEEKS AND BALSAMIC

*****

CANNOLI DI CIOCCOLAT0 CON CLEMENTINE
CHOCOLATE-FILLED SICILIAN CORNETS WITH CLEMENTINES

OR

SELEZIONE DI FORMAGGI - SELECTION OF CHEESES

A 12.5% OPTIONAL GRATUITY WILL BE ADDED SOLELY AT THE CUSTOMERS DISCRETION