FULL of character, with a varied menu and reasonably-priced food, Prezzo has always been one of my favourite Christchurch eateries.

I hadn’t been for a while, so was looking forward to a night out there again with friends.

We had booked well in advance, so I was slightly disappointed to be given a table squeezed in between the bar and the door, but we managed to manoeuvre the table and chairs so we didn’t have people brushing past us every two minutes.

The menu appeared to have changed very slightly since my last visit, but still featured my favourite starter – the mozzarella in carrozza, mozzarella cheese deep-fried in breadcrumbs served with pomodoro sauce.

One of my friends also opted for this, while the other chose the king prawns, cooked in a tomato sauce with garlic, chilli and spinach, served with ciabatta bread.

The starters were quick to arrive and we were pleased with the generous-sized portions.

My cheese was delicious – the stringy, melted mozzarella contrasted well with the crunchy breadcrumbs, although the sauce was a little bland.

The prawns were a good size and went beautifully with the sauce, which had a pleasing kick to its flavour.

When choosing our main courses, I was disappointed not to discover my favourite pasta dish on the menu – although, on closer inspection, it had been tweaked to include leeks instead of peas.

I decided to see how the new version tasted, while one of my friends selected the fusilli gorgonzola, with seasoned chicken, pancetta bacon, leeks, broccoli and parsley in a cream sauce.

My other friend chose the fusilli rusticana, with seasoned chicken, pancetta, roasted peppers and fresh rosemary in a tomato and cream sauce and opted for the lighter portion, served with a mixed salad with a low-calorie dressing.

Again, the dishes were generous helpings, but not so huge that we felt full halfway through.

My ravioli was filled with tender chicken, with the accompanying pancetta giving the whole dish a smoky flavour. The sauce was rich and creamy, but I definitely preferred the version with the peas.

The fusilli gorgonzola was very similar, with the same tender chicken and smoky pancetta, with the addition of broccoli and parsley, for added flavour and texture.

My friend’s fusilli rusticana was pronounced very tasty and full of flavour, and she commented on how the Italian dressing added a bit of flavour to the accompanying salad.

We were tempted by the indulgent-looking desserts, which included honeycomb smash cheesecake, lemon torte and sticky toffee pudding.

While two of us decided we were too full, my friend who opted for the lighter pasta portion, managed to squeeze in a light lemon sorbet.

A less squashed table position would have been nice, but the food was good and the atmosphere lively – a very enjoyable evening.