Caldesi in Campagna, Bray, Berkshire

Lunch menu: three courses, £24.50

How does a restaurant compete with two of the best in the world? Giancarlo and Katie Caldesi aimed to find out, when they launched their first venture outside London next to the Fat Duck and the Waterside Inn. So far the answer is "with difficulty". Bray is a picture-postcard village and Caldesi in Campagna is housed in a lovely building down a pretty, winding lane. Sadly, the beautiful setting might ultimately be the restaurant's downfall. It has been open for over eight months, but still appears undiscovered. On the Saturday we visited, a disappointing four tables were booked for lunch.

I warmed to Caldesi in Campagna because you can eat four courses and not look greedy. Its seasonal fare based on cuisine from Tuscany, Sicily and Liguria really hits the spot. Porchetta casareccia, warm slices of herby pork balanced on a mountain of lentils was a big starter, but tasty. The chargrilled asparagus with poached egg was completed by a scattering of earthy black truffle shavings.

Primi pasta dishes—thoughtfully served at starter size—included head chef Gregorio Piazza's signature dish from his native Sicily: sea bass ravioli served in a tangy lemon butter sauce with lemon zest providing an extra kick. The stand-out main was another Sicilian classic, halibut fillet with tomato, olives and capers. Do save space for pudding. Bombolino doughnut sticks with sambuca jam were delicious, but the panna cotta stole the show.

Caldesi in Campagna deserves much more attention and the lunch menu is, frankly, outstanding value. I hope it survives for the simple reason that, unlike so many Italian restaurants in Britain, my feast really did remind me of Italy.

Tina Nielsen