Torna Sorrento

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops. This review is taken from the 2007 edition.

Following a change of ownership in summer 2006, the homely, family-run style of Torna Sorrento has been dropped in favour of a more contemporary, straightforward approach, with a pared-down menu of Italian classics. Descriptions of dishes are similarly simple and border on the uninspiring, but the food, when it arrives, shows promise. A basic tomato and mozzarella salad looks great, thanks to some ambitiously artistic presentation, but it suffers from something of a minor olive oil slick. Mains are dominated by pizza and pasta dishes, with an additional half-dozen meat-based options including the steak pizzaiola - a generous helping of tender beef medallions swimming in a thick tomato and olive sauce and served with spaghetti. In comparison with the range of food, the wine list is fairly extensive - although not everything listed may actually be in stock. There's a sense that the new owners are still finding their feet, and, while Torna Sorrento's modern-look dining area is rarely busy - due partly to Woodlands Road's tendency towards takeaway - a little more inspiration on the menu and enthusiasm among staff may go a long way towards helping address this.

• High point: Food shows good potential
• Low point: Long wait between courses