Lunch at Carluccio's, Smithfield, London, 17th January 2006

A small miracle. Say "Ravioli" and you've said everything but how do they do it? The pasta pillows are perfectly al dente and, like the pillow on your bed, soft where they are supposed to be (not soggy) and just firm enough where they need to be too (in the middle!). Such depth of flavour in the pasta alone that you don't really need any other ingredient in the meal but, of course, you get the spinach and ricotta filling with its own flavours, and the sage and butter sauce that (and this is the miracle) stays a perfect "creme anglaise" consistency throughout the meal while losing non of its flavours. As it cools there is no coagulation, just further delight. Served alongside a fresh salad of crispy cos lettuce, cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced tiny red onions with a balsamic vinaigrette to counterpoint the flavours and a basket of mixed, fresh breads (a meal in themselves with olive oil to dip in and herbed olives to complement) . With a refreshing bottle of Pinot Grigio to bring clarity to the pallete with its light, almost citrus flavour, you can't go wrong here.

All served up by waiters as authentic as the food in a bright, lively restaurant with bags of life and pleasure all around. A small miracle.