Ristorante Sambuca

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

The stark lighting and uninspiring décor of this unpretentious restaurant at the student end of Newington doesn't do justice to the homely cooking on offer. Although the list of 'today's specials' doesn't actually change daily – or even monthly – it does showcase some of the chef's best dishes, including the magnificent whole sea bream cooked in a chunky cherry tomato sauce and accompanied by a mound of potatoes and salad. Pasta alle zucchini is a more workaday dish, but an impressive caprese salad, with its gloriously fresh chunks of mozzarella and sweet, ripe tomatoes, demonstrates a generosity with quality ingredients. This also extends to the large splash of liqueur in dishes such as gamberoni alla Sambuca – a rich feast of king prawns served in a heavy, creamy Sambuca-based sauce on a bed of rice. Beware, though, that the desserts named 'affogato' do literally mean 'drowned' in liqueur. Although the à la carte prices are perhaps a little on the high side given the rather sterile surroundings (not helped by music that veers from 90s power ballads to the Star Wars theme tune) portions are certainly not skimpy, and the set price lunch seems good value at just £5.50.

• High point: Generous portions and friendly service
• Low point: The décor doesn't quite match up