Leonardo's, Ponsonby

By JOHN GARDNER for canvas

Let's start at the end. The coppa primavera, although perhaps a bit late for spring, was delicious - honey and fig icecream with a generous fig component, topped with fresh fruit. The charlotte alla fragole was a cup of those sponge fingers which we all recognise from tiramisu, soaked with a creamy liquor mixture and laden with strawberries, sweet and fresh.

The desserts are mentioned first because they were, perhaps, the most original features of the food at Leonardo's, a restaurant that depends for its considerable success as much on atmosphere and service as what you eat.

This is not to suggest the food isn't good. It was singled out as excellent by the sailors from Alinghi and they should know. But it is tried and true antipodean variants on Italian restaurant favourites, rather than any attempt to spring surprises - and none the worse for that.

We began conventionally with our meat-averse member choosing the verdure miste ($15), an antipasto plate of vegetables, including pumpkin, which came back to haunt us several times, gherkins of formidable dimensions, olives, some good cheese and the usual bits. A solid start.

My gamberini alla vallenciana, pancetta-wrapped prawns on that big-bodied couscous, were good although at $16.50 I wouldn't have minded seeing at least one more prawn. Our third option was funghi alla genovese, standard stuffed mushrooms ($14.50) with parmesan, pesto and breadcrumbs, reliable and par for the course.

The specials were attractive and we went there for two of our three main choices. I had the agnello alla olive (sic: a linguistic hybrid which was not unique and which underlined the cheerfully eclectic nature of the evening). This was two substantial pieces of rump ($29.50) cooked nicely to pink inside with a distinctive garnish which did, as one of the very attentive staff who picked up on my interest explained, boast three sorts of olives.

Our other special was the fettucine con gamberoni e capesante ($26.50) a good seafood and pasta combination, unusual in that the seafood was entirely integrated into the sauce.

The main menu provided the scaloppine di maiale con pere e marsala ($24.50), again decent with pears and pink peppercorns lifting the slightly bland veal with a sesame seed and marsala sauce.

The servings are worthwhile and we were being pretty piggy in turning to the dessert menu ($9 each) but, as I indicated earlier, the decision was not an error, apart from its effect on the waistline, cholesterol level and bill.

The specials each come with a recommended wine and given the enthusiasm of the staff, we went with most of them, ending with a varied and apposite selection slightly too long to be included here. Let's just say it's worth listening to what they have to say and their recommendation included a pinot grigio which underlined the different approach of European winemakers.

We missed Leonardo's noted opera night, but were bathed in enough Italian warmth to make the fat lady singing quite redundant.

Cost: $208 for three, including six glasses of wine

Ambience: Neighbourly and full of Italian high spirits

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