Osteria Da Paolo, Shrewsbury

Star rating: **** David Burrows enjoyed great food and a super atmosphere at a Shrewsbury restaurant - as far as he can remember!

When a member of your family celebrates a milestone birthday, something special is required. And now I'm at that stage where my parents look to me to organise things rather than the other way around.

This suits me because it means I can drag my parents, who live in Oswestry, and my brother, based in Bridgnorth, to my home town in Shrewsbury, using the excuse that it's about half way between the two.

Another plus is the increasing choice of quality restaurants the town has to offer, especially important when you have to choose somewhere for a dad who is never more happy than when steak and chips is on the menu, a fussy and less than enthusiastic brother and his vegetarian fiancŽe Vanessa.

For my mum's 60th (sorry mum) I chose an old favourite - Osteria Da Paolo on Hills Lane. My mum's a big fan of Italian cuisine, and Paolo's is among its very best exponents.

As soon as you enter the cellar-like restaurant you are transported to the Italian countryside. Imagine the image of Italian families that television tries to present and that is exactly what you get: a genial host full of enthusiasm both for entertaining and the food he serves up, a chef who knows a lot more than just his onions and an intimate and friendly atmosphere. Immediately you feel like they were just waiting for you to arrive.

Once gathered we got the formalities of present-giving out of the way before the more important task of choosing what to eat.

Our host was immediately on hand to not only explain the day's specials at great length, but also help with any queries on the main menu. He wasn't the least bit patronising at our poor attempts to pronounce some of the dishes - or the abandonment of trying altogether and resorting to pointing at the menu and saying: "I'll have that one."

The guest of honour, and my brother, plumped for something from the specials board: funghi alla Romana - field mushrooms pan fried with garlic, herbs and white wine finished with bacon and pinenuts. A crucial element of Italian food is allowing the flavours through - a delicate art when there are so many competing. This dish, however, was reportedly spot on. Mum was delighted with it. I'm assuming my brother was too, but getting more than an "it was all right" out of him is like trying to get a piece of granite to make a meaningful contribution to a blood donor session.

Dad went for the nearest he could find to a "traditional" starter - sliced melon with fresh sorbet and a hint of cointreau. The melon was fresh and succulent.

Vanessa decided against a starter but I chose a selection of salami on lettuce and marinated vegetables. This is a favourite of mine and I was not disappointed, the spicy meat setting me up perfectly for the second course.

For the main meal mum was looking for something resembling a carbonara. I pointed her in the direction of penne pancetta, and thought in doing so it was only right that I joined her. It was a joy. The pasta was firm to the bite with just a hint of garlic coming though the sauce to complement that bacon and mushrooms.

Dad heard the word "steak" on the specials so jumped at bistecca alla Romana - rump steak and root vegetables in red wine and herb sauce with tagliatelle. After lots of enthusiastic noises from across the table I felt compelled to ask to try. The steak was amazing, virtually melting in the mouth in a beautiful fortifying sauce.

My brother also opted for a steak dish, bistecca contenta - a 10oz sirloin in Dijon mustard, mushrooms and a white wine, garlic and parsley sauce. It looked exquisite, but I'm sure you can guess my brother's reaction to it. He soon polished it off, though, and I think that speaks louder than any words. Just as well, really.

The vegetarian in the party chose a pasta and aubergine dish with peppers, capers, olives, herbs. Fortunately she was a bit more vocal than her intended and reported that she enjoyed the combination very much.

Pasta dishes can be filling, but there was no way we were going to get away without desserts thanks mainly to the enthusiasm of the staff for the treats on offer.

Vanessa was the only one strong enough to resist, but mum and dad went for the most Italian of Italian puds, tiramisu, and were rewarded with a wonderfully light and fluffy cake.

My brother opted for profiteroles and was hit with the only snag of the night. Investigation in the kitchens discovered there were none and the staff could not have been more apologetic. Instead Paul chose a very healthy - and very generous - fruit salad.

I decided to try a pud which was initially put forward as chocolate and hazelnut dessert in meringue before our waiter gave up and admitted it was very hard to describe. Thinking: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" I decided to go with the flow and was delighted I had. It was rich and very moreish but not too heavy.

Before the meal I had visited the restaurant to explain the purpose of our visit and ask if they wouldn't mind stashing a birthday cake and bringing it out - replete with candles and associated garishness. They were only too happy to and, as coffee was served - cappuccino for the most part - the best cake Sainsbury's had to offer was wheeled in, with our hosts leading the Eurovision remix of Happy Birthday To You.

As we tucked in three bottles of dangerous-looking liquid arrived at our table, along with a number of shot glasses. One of the bottles contained grappa, another limoncello and the third a concoction I'd never head of and can't remember the name of. The reason for this being that they had brought them as a birthday treat for us. However dad and my brother were driving and Vanessa is not able to drink. Leaving just me and mum. It seemed rude not to try one of each. So I did. The third one nearly took my head off - but hey, it was my birthday. Or something.

The generosity of this final act summed up our dining experience. We were not only made to feel welcome, but like we belonged there and had simply been invited in to someone's home to share a meal (sadly, though, we did have to pay - although just over £100 for the five of us seemed very reasonable to me).

I fully intend to return to Paolo's in the near future. I may even be tempted to brush up on my Italian so I don't have to keep pointing at the menu and saying: "I want that one."

After all, when in Rome . . .

MENU SAMPLE

Starters

Butter fried king prawns in a cream, brandy, chilli and parsley sauce(£5.95)

Mozzerella cheese with slices of tomato and olive oil

on mixed salad leaves (£4.50)

Main courses

Spaghetti with smoked salmon, cream, parsley, garlic

& white wine (£8.50);

Penne Arrabiata (£8.50)

Sides

Bruschetta(£3.50)

Garlic Bread (£1.95)

Desserts

Desserts and ice creams from board (from £3.95)

Assortment of cheeses (£4.95)

ATMOSPHERE

The night we visited was quiet, but we were told the night before was hectic. Previous visits bear this out

SERVICE

Excellent. All dishes were explained fully and staff

were attentive

DISABLED FACILITIES

Access is difficult as the restaurant is set down steep stairs at the end of an alleyway, but help is offered

contact details

Osteria Da Paolo, Hills Lane, Shrewsbury

01743 243336