Jamie's Italian

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver indulges the Italian in him with his chain of family-oriented Jamie's Italian restaurants which have sprung up all over the country since the first branch opened in Oxford in 2008. There are several outlets in London including this massive one in Islington, just a stone's throw from the first restaurant Oliver opened, Fifteen. The Islington site opened in the summer of 2011 along with two other Jamie's Italians in Westfield Stratford and Threadneedle Street. With Jamie's Italian we see the celebrity chef sticking to the tried-and-tested formula of rustic, simple Italian food at fair prices, a basic but stylish decor and speedy service with a smile (no dish is said to take longer than 10 minutes to cook) and a no-booking policy. Simple dishes like prosciutto, wild rocket and sliced crisp pear as well as delicious plates of homemade pasta (available as large or small portions) are typical. For the full, authentic Italian experience, start with bruschetta on sourdough bread, rubbed with garlic and topped with rocket and parmesan pesto, then antipasti of cured meats, followed by pasta. Other dishes include baked chestnut mushrooms with smoked Scamorza cheese, grilled lamb chops cooked "al matone" with minted sauce, roasted nuts and soft herbs, while for pudding there's a fusion of Italian and English influences with Jamie's Italian Bakewell tart, with a mixed fruit jam base and orange creme fraiche. Fast, affordable Italian food.