Il Fornello - Camden

Awful. Tough, flavorless pizza. Overly salty lasagna, manager defended it by saying some customers prefer it that way. Service charge included automatically, for what???

Called in for a meal at 6 pm there was only one out he person in. My pizza was ok at best, my wife wanted canolloni, none left. She had a calazoni pizza instead, it was very bland and came with half a plate of salad leaves. Once served nobody came to ask if everything was ok or if we wanted any dressing or pepper. When I complained I was told the salad was for decoration and not for eating. When the bill cane they had the cheek to add a service charge. When I told him I wasn’t paying that he never apologised and muttered something under his breath. Only eat here if you want to throw your money away.

This was our return visit after a few years. First time good, friendly service but not very good food. This time, because it offered omelette for my husband at dinnertime and it was close to our hotel, we tried it again. Service was poor, slow and not cheery as before. My fish would have been fine except for the tomato sauce covering it. So again it hadn't improved in our view. Good if desparate for an omelette or nowhere else appeals.

I highly recommend supporting this charming Italian eatery in the heart of Bloomsbury for their delicious food and exceptional service. The pizza quattro formaggi looked absolutely amazing, and even the Spanish diners next to me seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. The host took the time to greet me and ensure I had a good table. I enjoyed a lovely glass of red wine with my meal. I tried the calamari, which was freshly fried and had that perfect crispy batter that can only come from being hand-battered. It was evident that the quality of the ingredients was top-notch. The restaurant also accommodated a family with a son in a wheelchair with ease, spreading smiles all around. The service was leisurely, allowing for a truly enjoyable dining experience. The walls were adorned with pictures of Palermo and Amalfi, adding to the authentic Italian ambiance. I tried the chef Miguel chicken served by Antonio, which was simply delicious. Although it may not be considered fine dining, the experience was well worth it.

The last three times I have eaten out in London at a place chosen by someone else, it has been dire. This place was chosen by friends staying in a hotel nearby, and more than lived down to my expectations. Old school Italian can be very good indeed, if it is delivered with passion and integrity rather than cynicism and greed. Both passion and integrity were sadly lacking here. Fried squid £8.95) came in soggy, under-seasoned batter and the squid rings themselves tasted of little. A seafood pizza £13.50) was more proficiently cooked, but the main 'seafood ' element was canned tuna. We didn 't have sides except for a couple of portions of garlic bread which I avoided for the sake of my marriage) or dolce, and coffee was dire. The wines were ok and reasonable value. Service is very slow even though the restaurant was not particularly full. At £70 for three I might have put it down to experience. At over £120 it made me rather angry.