If you fancy an evening out enjoying the finest foods, and being waited on by a team of charming staff, take a trip to Italy on your doorstep.

Tucked away in a side street in a beautiful part of the world is a restaurant which boasts fine dining and a wonderful sense of character.

Caldesi in Campagna, in Old Mill Lane, Bray, offers a tasty array of rustic Italian dishes, which are prettily presented, and delivered by a team of attentive and thoroughly charming waiters.

My heavily-pregnant dining companion and I visited on a Tuesday night, when most eateries are quiet. Not here. It was a lovely mix of dining couples and groups of friends enjoying a warm, relaxing upbeat atmosphere. The interior is contemporary and classic, comfortable and conducive to a special evening out.

My friend chose the Burrata (Apullian Mozzarella), with grilled Mediterranean vegetables and basil pesto (£14). The mozzarella was so soft, it fell apart, and almost looked like a poached egg. The vegetables and cheese worked in harmony to give the dish a creamy flavour.

I had the fillet of beef hand made carpaccio, rocket, parmesan salad and lemon dressing (£15.50). This was a first for me, and I enjoyed the peppery taste and the addition of the parmesan. A lovely starter which wasn’t too heavy.

Onto the mains, and my dining companion went for the seabass ravioli, lemon butter sauce (£16.50) while I asked for another fishy main of grilled king prawn, fillet of sea bream, mackerel, squid, chilli and garlic and salad leaves. The waiter also recommended a side of grilled Mediterranean veg with balsamic (£26 and £5.50).

My fish dish was fab. I could smell the lovely aroma of fresh garlic as the plate was sat in front of me. The prawn was particularly juicy, and - my favourite part - I did not find one bone. The fish was so perfectly cooked that the knife just glided through, and it tasted divine. My only observation would be that I would have preferred smaller chunks of the squid as it came as a large slice and it felt quite difficult to tackle.

My friend’s ravioli was filled with the meatiest seabass, and was a delightful companion to the lemon butter sauce. She did suggest that she would have liked the pasta a little softer to her taste, but she still finished the plate and enjoyed it immensely.

Then the desserts - and they were in a league of their own.

We were too tempted by the sound of these dishes that we just had to try them. My companion spotted the Italian style doughnuts with vanilla custard, sambuca and berry jam (£8.50). However, as she couldn’t drink alcohol, the helpful waiter changed this for a chocolate sauce.

As they arrived, other guests in the restaurant were looking over in awe and asking where these dishes were on the menu. The doughnuts were artfully stacked like a Jenga game. My fork kept wandering over to her plate as it was just so good - fluffy, warm and sugary. The ultimate comfort dish.

However my pud was just as delicious. The chocolate fondant with home-made vanilla ice cream (£9.50) was the perfect pair. The fondant just oozed with a strong, rich filling, and was also warm, but gooey. I could have eaten another one. The ambience, food and service in this hidden gem sets this restaurant apart. Bellissimo!

See www.caldesi.com or call 01628 788500.