WALKING through Stroud town centre on a chilly Wednesday evening in February, I decided it was time to check out Sorrento in Russell Street.

The Italian has been recommended to me on numerous occasions so I ventured down for a mid-week treat.

It was fairly busy for a Wednesday night, with four or five tables occupied by groups and families.

As soon as I entered I was quickly seated at a table.

Sorrento provides a pleasant atmosphere, with opera music playing quietly in the background.

As I looked though the menu, there was a long range of options to choose from.

The classic garlic bread will cost you £4.95, while bruschetta costs £5.90.

Other starter options include prawn cocktail, deep fried calamari as well as having the choice to have any pasta dish served as a starter.

After avoiding the numerous temptations brought on by the mouth-watering starters, I decided to head straight for the mains.

It certainly wasn’t easy to decide which main to opt for with the plethora of options available.

The traditional lasagne will cost you £10.50, while spicy meat balls costs £9.95.

If you want to push the boat out then the fillet steak will cost you £20.95, and the fillet steak with brandy and a freshly coarse black pepper will send your total to £23.50.

Sirloin steaks are also available for similar prices.

As you would expect, linguine and risotto options are also available.

After much deliberation, I opted for the classic spaghetti bolognese for £9.95.

I also had a bottle of Peroni to accompany my meal for £3.80.

There are also numerous red wine options including chianti, Cabernet Sauvignon and Barolo.

White options include Pinot Grigio, Trebbiano, Sauvignon Blanc and more.

Numerous beers are also available, including Moretti and Stella Artois, as well as soft drinks and a range of coffees.

My meal took about 15 minutes to arrive which was surprisingly good considering the restaurant was fairly busy for a weekday.

The bolognese was delightful, made even better with the delicate addition of parmesan.

The portion was a good size, and represents good value for money at just £9.95.

There was a generous amount of meat, although I think the meat dominated slightly and if I had one, very small criticism, it would be to have had slightly more spaghetti considering there was quite a lot of meat.

But overall, Sorrento certainly lived up to the hype and I thoroughly recommend a visit if you are in Stroud and are a fan of Italian food.

Bellissimo.