THE only reason I give Il Capricorno 9.5 instead of 10 out of 10 for everything is that the place seems to get better every time my partner and I visit.

I’m therefore a bit superstitious about saying it’s perfect – even though our meal there last week was the nearest I’ve come to a perfect dining experience in Swindon for a long time.

The restaurant is one of Swindon’s longest-established and best known, and I readily admit it’s a personal favourite.

There’s a lot to be said for fearlessly trying out new or newish places, and those of us who enjoy playing that interesting little game of chance are generally well-served. New restaurants seem to pop up all the time, and thanks to the stiff competition among the existing places in this neck of the woods, the calibre is generally pretty impressive.

Sometimes, though, there’s simply nothing to beat returning to a familiar place where you know the welcome and the ambience remain the same, even as the menu evolves.

This is especially true on miserable winter evenings, which is why we decided to head for Il Capricorno.

Greeted instantly and shown to our table, we ordered the first of a couple of carafes of the fine house red and studied the menu.

The interior is spacious yet somehow homely, with unpretentious décor and an intimate atmosphere. Fellow diners ranged from couples to a large family group, all of whom were clearly happy at having chosen Il Capricorno

The menu offers more than enough choices to suit most tastes, while at the same time not so many that diners might be left wondering whether the differences between them amount to nothing more than a sprinkling of herbs.

For our starters we each opted for some simple and familiar old favourites.

My partner’s Caciotta in Carrozza (£5.95) – soft cheese in breadcrumbs – came in a generous but not overwhelming portion and was pronounced delicious, with the tasty breadcrumbs enclosing a filling which was yielding without being runny.

I chose Funghi Fritti, also at £5.95. To be honest, that’s what I almost always order as a starter. So call me unadventurous. I don’t care. The only word I can use to describe this dish is ‘cheerful’ – and a bit of cheer is just what anybody needs when the November air outside is in the mood to bite.

The consistency of the tasty deep-fried breaded mushrooms was perfect, and so was the tang of the garlic sauce which accompanied them.

The main course I chose was one I hadn’t tried before, but I’m glad I gave it a go.

Penne Marco Polo (10.95) is described in the menu as Penne with prawns, rocket, white wine, cherry tomatoes and garlic. Simple though that combination might seem, putting the ingredients together is an exercise in blending not just tastes and aftertastes but textures and consistencies.

My dining companion was in the mood for steak, and chose a fillet (£22.95) which was cooked to utter melt-in-the mouth perfection. I made sure to try some for myself – at considerable personal risk of domestic discord and injury to my person, I might add. It was indeed excellent.

Steak this good signifies not only great skill in the kitchen but an unwillingness to settle for anything other than the best ingredients.

To accompany the steak my companion chose Mexicana sauce, an assertive yet subtle blend of white wine, mushrooms, peppers, herbs, garlic and chilli with a tomato base.

This is one of several sauces available to diners who order steak. The others include Gorgonzola, cream with white wine and mushrooms and peppercorn sauce with herbs, cream and brandy.

If you are already familiar with Il Capricorno, this review is redundant.

If you are not, then I promise you are in for a treat.