Restaurant review: Un Momento in St Annes may be small in size but it is big on flavour

Through the misted window we can see other diners already settled and enjoying the hospitality of the restaurant in Alexandria Drive specialising in traditional Sicilian and Sardinian dishes.

Booking is essential, as the venue is compact to say the least - but a bit like the classic Fiat 500 whose image is emblazoned across the main wall - the design means everyone is comfortably seated.

Our hosts buzzed around us, switching between Italian and English, as we perused the menu while they served the surrounding tables.

It is one of the only menus I have seen where there is a soup which at £13.95 is the most expensive starter.

But what a soup it must be! - Zuppa del Mediterraneano it is packed with, prawns, haddock, squid, queen scallops and mussels.

Maybe for another day, as I think that would fill me up on its own.

Instead I opted for Il Cannolo alla Parmigiana, which is a crispy waffle tube, similar to the one you might expect stuffed with cream for dessert.

Only this was filled with a mousse of aubergines, parmesan cheese, basil, and tomato cream which provided a delicate and perfect way to trigger my taste buds.

My husband Clive chose the bruschetta, elegantly served on a long dish with toppings of cherry tomato and shaved parmesan, while we also shared a bowl of olives.

To accompany our food we had a bottle of Pinot Grigio rose, with pale pink tones and a dry finish, while tap water was also provided.

Clive chose the slow cooked lamb shank for his main (although I much prefer its name on the menu of Stinco di Angnello).

The meat fell smoothly from the bone, and was described as 'succulent', accompanied by roast potatoes and mixed vegetables.

There is also hake, sea bass and chicken on the mains menu, any of which sounded tempting.

But as the restaurant celebrates the cuisine of two famous Italian islands, I opted for something from the pasta menu.

There is linguine, spaghetti, ravioli on offer with sauces drawing on ingredients ranging from squid ink to stewed shallots.

Fregola Sarda drew my eye, described as traditional Sardinian toasted pasta, with mussels, prawns, calamari, garlic chilli, parsley, and fresh cherries tomatoes.

It got top marks for presentation alone, but the main treat was in the eating as I popped each piece of seafood into my mouth.

The texture was tender, with the mussels feeling like they had just been plucked from the ocean.

We rounded off our meal with cappuccino coffees, but the desserts I saw being brought out to fellow diners will certainly tempt me on our next visit.

Our bill, including wine, came to £79.75.

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