With its 18 pizzas, just as many pasta dishes, and those puddings, MICHELLE TOMPKINS is spoiled for choice at La Carbonara

GOOD things come to those who wait, goes the old saying, and in the case of La Carbonara it couldn't have been more true.

We might have had only two or three mouthfuls each of the exquisite slab of tiramisu placed between me and my two friends, but they were the dreamiest, creamiest, booziest mouthfuls of coffee-flavoured loveliness I've ever been (un)lucky enough to share. Next time, I'll skip the starters and have a salad for dinner, with the aim of ordering a whole dessert - or maybe two - all to myself.

La Carbonara has been at the foot of Kingshill for a fair few years now, but some people never give it a second look, put off by its gaudy red and green paintwork and out-of-town spot.

That's a real shame, as the minute you step through the door you are transported to little Italy - still a little gaudy, admittedly, but in a kitsch and comfortable way which envelopes you and welcomes you in.

The checked tablecloths are there, and raffia carafes hanging from the rafters. There's a giant chalkboard showing the specials of the day and a dripping candle in a wine bottle for every table. But, best of all, there's a heady waft of warm garlic which hits you in a wave and says, quite clearly, 'come on in... the food here is fantastic and we're very happy to have you'.

Ours was one of the only tables still empty when we arrived for our 8pm booking on a Thursday, which goes to show that not everyone is deterred by the bright exterior.

There seemed to be a mix of couples who were clearly regulars and large groups celebrating something, and there was a lovely hubbub which made it easy for our own gossipy conversation to flow unchecked.

I remembered from a previous visit that the pane con aglio formaggio (garlic pizza bread with cheese, £5.50) was excellent and huge so we ordered one to share, plus some olives (free), while we looked over the extensive list of mains.

It took some time - there are 18 pizzas to choose from and the same number of pasta dishes, with six meaty mains, six fish dishes, six chef's specials and 10 vegetarian options... and that's without the daily specials - but the gooey garlic bread kept us going nicely while we tried to make up our minds.

I eventually settled on penne Siciliana (penne pasta with courgettes and spicy sausage, garlic and oil, £7.95); a dish which proved to be packed with flavour. When they said the sausage was spicy, they meant it - my partner couldn't even look in my direction for two days - and the garlic levels were pretty pungent too. But it was hearty as well as fiery and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

One of my friends had been tempted by the risotto scoglio (seafood risotto, £8.95), which came as a very generous bowlful packed with mussels, squid, prawns (shell-on and off) and even a few clams. It was excellent value for money given the price tag.

Our vegetarian friend had an impressive 10 main courses to choose from, which is virtually unheard of, and decided to keep things simple with the penne arrabiata (penne with garlic, chilli, wine and tomato, £6.50). She, too, was bowled over by the power of the garlic and chilli, but loved that there was so much flavour packed into one dish.

At this point, having polished off a bottle of house red, we'd normally have ordered coffees, possibly with a snifter of Tia Maria for good measure. This time, we opted to get our coffee hit via dessert instead, with that tiramisu (£4). Being women, we ordered just the one portion to share, with three spoons, and we dug into the heavenly layers of coffee-soaked sponge and mascarpone with gusto.

As we scraped the last of the cream from the plate and resisted the urge to lick it clean, we decided that two portions between three would have been a better decision. Heaven forbid we eat a whole dessert ourselves...

Adver ratings:

Food: 8/10

Choice: 10/10

Decor: 8/10

Customer service: 8/10

Main course prices: from £6.50 to £19.95

Trip Advisor rating: 4/5

La Carbonara

62 Westcott Place, Swindon SN1 5HW

Tel: 01793 527944

www.lacarbonara-restaurant.co.uk

Parking: Yes, at the back

Disabled access: Yes

To ensure the integrity of our reviews, all our critics dine as paying customers without the restaurant’s knowledge (unless otherwise stated). Photographs are taken at a later date