There is a new taste sensation happening in Seafort Avenue, Sandymount. The Italian Dunne and Crescenzi opened there before Christmas and despite the fact that they don’t have the name sign up yet, hordes of people have uncovered this gem.

In terms of size of both place and menu, the phrase ‘good things come in small packages’ comes to mind. The charm of the restaurant is enhanced by small tables placed close together to accommodate the queues of people waiting to dine.

The décor is very simple, clean yet warm with dark wood contrasting with lighter paintwork. Everything on the shelves around the walls is on sale– wine, cheese, chocolates, biscuits and coffee. The artwork adds to the elegance of the place, most of it is for sale if you feel like adding to your art collection.

When my dining partner Anja and I arrived at 6 pm the place was quiet, but by 6.30 pm this had changed and for the remainder of our meal there was a constant flow of people waiting to be seated.

It is definitely advisable to book well in advance, especially if you can’t be flexible with time. I have passed at various times during the day so I know that it remains busy from after 6pm until 10pm especially and throughout lunch time every day. The staff are efficient and friendly so you will be accommodated as fast as possible and meals arrive promptly.

The wine list is extensive and I was informed that it covers the entire Italian peninsula. I was most impressed by the prices which suggested a very moderate mark-up unusual in most restaurants. We went for the house red at €11 which was very good in taste and value.

The menu is relatively small and this is because it is not an average restaurant menu with starters, main course and dessert, although you can choose to eat in this manner. Dishes on the menu include portions of cold salami, parma ham, braesola, smoked Irish salmon, olives, cheese, different salads, paninis, some hot pasta dishes and the nightly specials.

We decided to share two dishes as starters: the crostini with Italian paté made from black olives, pesto and artichokes and the insalata ricca which consisted of mixed lettuce, tomato and artichoke dressed with virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and parmesan shavings.

When our starters arrived we realised that these could work as main course dishes as they were generous. The patè provided a full, flavoursome taste complemented perfectly by the peppery fresh rocket leaves with which it was served. The simplicity of the salad ingredients were delightfully enhanced by the dressing.

For our main course I ordered the pasta special, which had a creamy tomato sauce with courgette and ham and Anja had the pasta with fresh tomato and basil. My pasta was good but Anja’s pasta was somewhat lacking the fresh basil taste she expected. Looking around at other orders I saw that some had chosen the other special of the night: wild rabbit and I was informed that it was absolutely delicious.

There are two desserts on offer, but without hesitation we chose the tiramisu to share and it really was a perfect ending to our meal– it was beautifully moist with a melting texture. The bill arrived and at €49 for all the courses and wine, we were impressed and will definitely be making a return visit.