Paperino's West End

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

With its smart whitewashed walls, terracotta tiling and consistently well-populated pine booths, the Sauchiehall Street branch of this deceptively large restaurant is still going strong after 16 years. Increasingly, its much newer and more spacious West End sibling is every bit as busy. Despite a move towards lighter, healthier dishes in 2008, Paperino's menu continues to be characterised by Italian/American staples, including (but not limited to) burgers, pasta and a wide selection of pizza. For starters, grilled chicken wings are stickier than spicy, while pork ribs arrive with a tangy barbecue sauce. A calzone may be filled with Italian sausage, ricotta cheese and chicken – an attractive combination. Chicken layered with mozzarella and generous slices of Parma ham presents a plump breast coated in a dense tomato and white wine sauce. For dessert, a moist chocolate sponge, drenched in chocolate sauce, topped with another layer of chocolate and served with vanilla ice-cream satisfies essentially all expectations. Service is polite, but there is a steady turnover of diners and so perhaps Paperino's is best for a quick bite rather than a leisurely evening meal. The Byres Road outlet serves breakfast from 8.30 to 11am, including panini and filled rolls, and has a takeaway (Paperino's To Go) next door.

• High point: Intimate booths
• Low point: Too much emphasis on pizza and pasta