The UK's top writer on food, as voted by readers of Restaurant Spy, talks exclusively to Spy! Click here for details.
Reliable and courteous parking service for visitors to London Gatwick airport.
Alternative search includes archived reviews here
Restaurant insurance specialists. For more details visit the UKinsuranceNET website.
29th September 2008 - Chef Dies After Hot Chilli Dare
An aspiring chef died after eating a bowl of 'super hot' chilli sauce for a dare, an inquest heard. more...
3rd September 2008 - British chefs scoop London awards
British chefs and restaurants have gained the top awards at the 10th London Restaurant Awards. more...
30th July 2008 - Restaurant tipping law to change
Employers are to be banned from using tips and service charges to 'top up' staff pay to meet the minimum wage, under government plans. more...
29th July 2008 - Buxhall Crown owner dies
more...
8th July 2008 - TV chefs 'fail on basic hygiene'
TV chefs are setting a bad example by failing to following basic hygiene standards, public health chiefs say. more...
27th June 2008 - TV chef loses Tesco chicken vote
Tesco shareholders have not backed proposals to improve welfare standards for chickens championed by TV cook Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. more...
Lots more in our Food News Archive.
Click on any of the following categories to see reviews by area, rating or type.
Country/Region
Americas - Canada, Greenland, USA
Asia/Australasia - Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, The Maldives
Europe - Austria, Belgium, Eire, France, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland
Other world region
UK, England - Beds, Berks, Birmingham, Bucks, Cheshire, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, Essex, Glos, Hants, Herts, Humberside, Kent, Lancs, Leic, Lincoln, London, Manchester, Middlesex, Norfolk, Notts, Oxon, Shrop, Somerset, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Wilts, Worcs, Yorks, Scotland, Wales
Cuisine - African/Afro-Caribbean, British - Modern, Traditional, Cafe, Chinese, French, Indian, Italian, Meditteranean, Mexican/North American, Other Asian, Other European, Pub, Takeaway
Special type - Ambience, Disabled Access, Families, Large Groups, Romantic, Service, Views
Spy rating - Approved, OK, Rejected
Rose, author of the Savvy Shopper and the New English Kitchen, talks exclusively to Spy. Click here.
Listen to our growing body of interviews with chefs, chocolatiers and food and drink specialists in our Wired for Sound section.
Food in Va Pensiero, Radlett
My friend and I had a meal in this Italian restaurant one evening last week. I had a risotto which was made with Basmati rice, and a pana cotta dessert which was a cream caramel. I questioned the waiter regarding the risotto and he said that people in Radlett prefer their risottos made with basmati rice, and that they had never received any complaints before. When I refused to accept the dessert, and questioned why they would serve up a cream caramel and call it a panna cotta the waiter got really angry and slammed the dessert down on the counter. We then complained to the owner, who proceeded to admonish the waiter in front of us, which was embarrassing and uncalled for.
We received two free cups of coffee and an apology from the owner, but really the evening was ruined by the agressive behaviour of the waiter.
Their attitude and stance was that we had no idea about Italian food, that they had been in the catering business for years and thus knew what they were doing, and that we ought not to have complained as we were just being pedantic.
Will we go back? Never!
Food at Va Pansiero
i have eaten at the restaurant in Radlett many times. i have found the service to be, at times, a little slow as the place is usually packed out to the rafters so this is understandable.
however, the food is a delight and the staff i have always found to be helpful and a delight and very good at explaining the dish. I have never witnessed in my 20+ visits any aggression towards customers or staff.
will we go back? yes for sure, just hope next time we do the grumpy people bellow aren't there!!
Va Pensiero
I dont know where the supposed expert or the winger above ate but I have eaten a number of time in Va Pensiero and have introduced friends to the restaurant. The food is well priced and delicious who goes to an italian restaurant and orders soup and chicken you want that go to a beefeater! The staff are always polite and it is a relaxed atmosphere. If the person who winged about which rice they used then the creme caramel winged at me i would have lost it aswell. if your food is cold winge if not then dont go out and pick at every little in significant detail. It is a lovely restaurant with a lovely romantic atmosphere as the person above said its packed every night so all those people cant be wrong.