Red or White, 46 Castle Street, Trowbridge BA14 8AY.

(01225) 781666

Red or White is an unexpected gem of a restaurant in the back streets of Trowbridge.

We passed various takeaways while finding it – it is just off Castle Place car park where we left the car but we lost our way and took a rather circuitous route to get there.

Once inside though, we were transported into a world of elegance and calm, tables set out with proper white table cloths, waiters who place the napkins on your lap – and throw in the odd Italian word, just to help you imagine yourself in Italy.

The restaurant was taken over by brothers Vito and Salvo Scaduto about a year ago, who brought in head chef Marc Salmon, who used to work with Vito at the Bath Priory.

We studied the menu in a comfortable alcove, separated from the main dining area by an open cellar. The whole thing is open plan, which gives a good feeling of space and light.

Prices are quite high, so we chose the set dinner menu of three courses for £21.50 each.

We were offered a basket of three types of bread, all of which were delicious.

Paul chose La Bruschetta , vegetables topped with a piece of mackerel. Despite not being a fish fan, he enjoyed the dish and said the vegetables were delicious.

I had beetroot terrine, roast vegetables with a piccalilli type salad and a green salad. I must confess I wouldn’t have chosen it if I had seen it beforehand, despite the lovely presentation on a white plate. Maybe it was the bright green sauce accompanying it. But the taste was lovely.

For mains, Paul chose chicken with a ricotta-type rice with vegetables which he pronounced delicious.

I went for the herby topped hake which was lovely – the crispness of the topping contrasting beautifully with the moist softness of the fish. It was all accompanied by a delicious mixture of roast vegetables which I ate with some of the bread.

For dessert, we both went for Torta Siciliana, lemon tart with mandarin sorbet which provided a sharp, fresh ending.

All the dishes were interesting, with a lovely mixture of tastes which I could not possibly attempt at home.

The service was very friendly and attentive with a sense of Italy.

Paul ended with a cappuccino, a delightfully frothy mixture topped with chocolate. Our bill came to just over £60, to include two gins and tonics and one glass of wine.

Best restaurant in Wiltshire award winner

Wine shop with old and new world, Italian, French, liqueurs and champagne

Special events, ranging from how to make fresh pasta to summer jazz party and speciality wines

Private car park

Our Eating Out is an independent review carried out by the Gazette without prior knowledge of the owners.