Piccolino W1

The ‘Zinc’ brand – the most avowedly mass-market of the concepts to come out of the Conran dream factory, and one of the worst – was sold off last year to the Individual Restaurant Company. IRC promptly closed the Fulham branch. And now, the former flagship site, just off Regent Street, has been re-launched under the banner of Piccolino – a national chain, whose London outlets to-date comprise Wimbledon and Wandsworth.

What an improvement! Our experience in the group’s North West (England) branches has been that – to an impressive extent – Piccolino generally gets the basics right, and this new outpost is no exception. In fact, in its charming little enclave – hidden away, but right in the heart of the West End – it makes a practical destination well worth knowing about. And – with its notably pleasant terrace, and its comfortable, spacious and impressively woody interior – a surprisingly smart one too.

The cooking is good. By chain standards, of course. They may make everything themselves on the premises, right down to the bread, but the River Café it ain’t. But then the prices are far from the exalted levels demanded at that famous temple. Indeed, a scallop starter we much enjoyed was so generous that we wondered how they were even covering the ingredient cost. And all the basics we tested – including pasta, risotto, tiramisu and coffee – were competent.

What impressed us most, however – apart from a general feeling of efficiency and good value – was the apparently genuine warmth of welcome, which extended across everyone who seerved. You certainly didn’t get that when it was Zinc.