WHEN I sit down for some tasty tuck, I am not particularly fond of having a strict time limit.

However, as I had invited my Trowbridge buddy for a meal at Prezzo, in St Stephens Place, Trowbridge, and he had less than an hour for lunch before having to go back to work, this was an occasion where I took one for the team.

Fresh after deadline, I headed for the Italian restaurant and ordered the food my pal Bones (first name ‘Skin and’) had picked in advance - garlic bread (£4.40), followed by spaghetti carbonara (£9.95).

I made a beeline for the mozzarella in breadcrumbs (£6.10) and the spaghetti di mare (£12.45), which had prawns, calamari and mussels with garlic, red chilli and parsley in a pomodoro sauce.

In my haste to order the food – and being under the sort of pressure Countdown contestants have to endure – I panicked and ordered a Coke (£2.75) instead of actually looking at the drinks menu.

If I had done that, I would have ordered God’s nectar, Appletiser. Fool of a Took!

After this momentary setback, Bones, who I had met at our mutual friend’s stag do in Edinburgh (that’s a story for another time perhaps) arrived, much to my relief.

And in no time at all, our friendly waitress zoomed to our window-side table with the starters. Molto bene!

For a place that had opened just 15 minutes earlier at midday, the restaurant was filling up nicely, which is always a good sign.

Prezzo is a classy looking establishment. I would even go as far as to call it ‘swanky’. They have certainly made it look inviting.

However, I shall not lie to you readers, that is something I refuse to do, the starters were not quite as appetising.

I thought the mozzarella in breadcrumbs were underwhelming - not particularly hot and the cheese a tad insipid. However, I probably got my money’s worth as there were four of them.

Them Bones, them Bones, them dry Bones, who was loving every minute of the review, seemed to enjoy his garlic bread.

I cannot fault the service though. Efficient, affable and helpful.

Next up were the main courses. Bones said: “I like this carbonara,” and I believed him. It was well presented and smelled pleasant.

My seafood dish, however, was not as good. Again, couldn’t fault the look of it, but I’d just hoped for a bit more oomph. Maybe the dish heard me, as it decided to spray a bit of its tomato sauce onto my white work shirt. Darn spaghetti...

There was a great range of dishes, the prices weren’t too expensive and it is a pleasant place to eat, but I left £38.40 poorer and feeling a bit dissatisfied - a bit like when an England cricketer makes their half century but gets out to a silly ball in the early 60s when they should be looking to push on and get that ton.

I wouldn’t race back but I might be tempted to another go (just like a slightly wide of off-stump delivery that deserves to be whacked for four) as there was a lot of choice.

RICHARD MILLS