Prego

By CARROLL DU CHATEAU for canvas

"Let's go to Prego," said my son, who was about to turn 22. "It's fun, and it's close."

Close for him, that is. The minute they were old enough to leave home my children ricocheted back to Ponsonby, which I had left 10 years ago in search of greener pastures. And of all the parade of restaurants on Ponsonby Rd, they love Prego best. I'm not so sure.

Why? You can't book. Inside, on a Friday night, the place is as noisy as a handful of stones being shaken inside a tin. On the other hand, Prego lifts a boring family dinner into an occasion. Walking in is like crashing a party - instant friends at the next table, lots of buzz. And the food is excellent.

We started with a loaf of home-made bread and a plate of Calamari Fritto to share. Both arrived promptly. The bread, though fresh and fragrant with oil to dip and butter to spread, was a bit doughy. But the calamari was the best I've tasted - extra-tender without that nasty, slippery outer membrane you often get with calamari - and not too greasy, despite the aoli. Like everything else at Prego it was served dead plain. And it was gone in an instant. Prego.

By now we had finished our Steinlagers and G&Ts (I do like a restaurant that serves spirits along with the wine) so we ordered a $50 bottle of Montana Ormond Gisborne Chardonnay and moved along to our main courses.

By now we had attracted several more well-wishers, so were able to sample a wide range of Prego's offerings. I chose the Crispy Skinned Salmon served on risotto ($25) which, like everything else, arrived promptly and with a smile. No stacking or nestling on a bed of braised larks' tongues here, just perfectly cooked melt-in-the-mouth salmon served with a substantial helping of creamy, tasty risotto.

Brian chose a famous Prego wood-fired thin-crust Pizza Pollo ($18) which he pronounced not quite crunchy enough, Oliver would have liked some salad with his special Snapper Fillets ($25) but forgot to order it, Bob declared his Linguini Marinara ($22) which came topped with a fat scampi, "absolutely gorgeous" while James devoured his steak with the methodical dedication of a seriously hungry man.

Desserts were no-nonsense but excellent, too. We shared a plate of gelato, a tiramisu and a panna cotta, which were all $9.50, before the oldsters fled into the quiet of the night leaving the 20-somethings to play.

Every restaurant road needs a Prego, a place with great service, plain but well-cooked food, a well-stocked bar and a big city feel, yet reasonable prices. Prego lives up to its reputation and transforms a drab mid-winter night into an Italian nocce.

Our meal, with drinks, averaged $52 a head.

Parking: Usually better on the other side of the road

Price: Meal for four, including wine, 2 beers and one G&T $208.

* Read more about what's happening in the world of food, wine, party places and entertainment in canvas magazine, part of your Weekend Herald print edition.