Villa Bianca, Frimley (Tel: 0127662879)
58 Frimley High Street, Camberley, GU16 7JF
If you like it old-school, this is the place to go. The food is exceptionally honest and full of the vibrant simple flavours which make Italian cuisine so appealing.
Starters are great but be wary of filling yourself up too early. The melanzane parmigiana is absolutely gorgeous (creamy, rich with tomato, perfectly tender) but I tend to go for something even simpler like the Ravioli al Gran Ragu as it is the epitome of the Italian ability to extract maximum flavour from so few basic ingredients.
Mains are all generally outstanding. If you order duck, expect a plate to arrive with half a duck on it alongside a jug of orange sauce. The saltimbocca alla romana (a traditional veal dish in sage butter) is very tasty and perfectly cooked. All meat and fish mains are served with a side of salad or veggies of the day (stuffed courgette flowers, roasted potatoes, carrots and something along the broccoli/cauliflower line). The specials board tends to stay pretty much the same from year to year, but there are always some great things to be had, even if they tend to be more expensive than the a la carte items. The scallops wrapped in bacon (£16-ish) is truly decadent and tasty but doesn't quite live up to the main course moniker (6 or so scallops would struggle to fill the smallest stomach).
The dessert cart is a bit of a 70s throwback but you can't deny the quality of the Tiramisu or the guilty pleasure of the caramel bananas. I wish that they didn't buy in quite so many other things as the tarts which aren't made in-house are all a bit light on flavour. We generally skip dessert.
The staff is comprised mainly of highly efficient Italian men with a bit of an eye for the ladies. We had an unfortunate incident when a waiter decided to compliment my wife's physique to another waiter, not quite realising that I speak Italian (it's part of my job). You have to expect this sort of stuff with gents of a certain age, and it certainly hasn't stopped us from returning regularly.
Always book for Friday and Saturday nights as it is SO popular. The restaurant isn't open on Sundays. A lot of people have birthday and special occasion dinners at Villa Bianca as it has an overall air of warmth and authenticity.
Cost: About £20 per head for food, drinks extra
Family Friendly: Yes
Overall Rating: Definitely worth a visit
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