Established in 1985, Orso was one of the very first restaurants in the modernising of London's Italian restaurant scene. Instead of the old-fashioned trattoria with candles in a round-bellied Chianti bottle and heavy sauces on everything, the emphasis turned to highlighting ingredients through relatively simple treatment in the kitchen.
Thirty years on and that approach still dominates. Expect, then, antipasti such as vitello tonnato (roast veal with tuna dressing and fried capers) and buffalo mozzarella with slow-roast plum tomato, basil and aged balsamic leading into pasta dishes including asparagus and ricotta ravioli with mascarpone, lemon zest, petit pois and mint, and linguine al granchio - made with crab, garlic, parsley, chilli and lime.
Secondi options range from roast pork belly with cabbage and an olive oil mash to calf's liver, fillet steaks, fish specials and branzino - a dish of herb crusted sea bass fillet served with green beans, crushed potatoes and a sun-dried tomato butter. Desserts keep things traditional too - think affogato, panna cotta and an authentic tiramisu.