CUSTOMER turnover in some restaurants can be so great it feels that no sooner have you sat down than you are being ushered out the door, your table is being cleared, the next diners are seated, and their orders being taken.

Thankfully, this is not the case at Martini Restaurant in St Albans, because the owner makes certain that his customers' every whim is catered for and every diner feels relaxed and under no pressure to rush.

Tucked away in Heritage Close, just off the High Street, Martini is a fine example of what an Italian restaurant should be. It offers more than the average Italian, with the comprehensive menu offering consistent delights throughout its wide range of soups, pasta, veal, fish, poultry and grills.

Because competition is so fierce, Martini has worked on the premise that people are looking for more from a restaurant than simply having a meal. By pairing excellent, friendly service with unbeatable Italian cuisine, Martini has hit a winning formula.

Because of the extensive menu, my dining partner and I were glad we were given plenty of time to browse before making the hard task of choosing. Eventually, for starters we opted for crispy fried mushrooms in a cheese sauce and Mediterranean prawns cooked in a garlic and white wine sauce. Both were equally delicious and presented in such a way that it seemed a shame to spoil the masterpieces.

For main courses, my partner decided to bypass most of the menu and headed straight for a Martini speciality, filetto arrabbiato, fillet steak cooked with peppercorns, brandy and cream sauce. The succulent steak was perfectly cooked, retaining its juices, and the hint of brandy in the sauce was adequate, not overpowering.

The freshness of my monkfish medallions was unbeatable and the aroma and tang of the lemon juice, prawn, mushroom, onion and herb sauce was simply heavenly. Flavours were in abundance in both dishes, which were served with vegetables and saute potatoes, suavely delivered by exceptional silver service.

Even though we were full, the dessert trolley, filled with layers of scrumptious home-made sweets, was too much to resist so we finished with huge, chocolate profiteroles and oranges in Grand Marnier. The meal was accompanied by a bottle of red and rounded off with coffee and a liquor.

And all Martini requires of its customers, apart from the fact that when they leave they are full and satisfied, is for you to tell them if it is a special occasion when booking so it can add its own special congratulations. - VL

Martini Restaurant, Heritage Close, St Albans.

Telephone: 01727 812301

Reproduced from Limited Edition magazine, exclusive guides to living in Hertfordshire, Middlesex and the London Borough of Barnet (01923 216295)

December 19, 2001 14:00