Pizza Express, River House, Museum Street, York.

But, asks MAXINE GORDON, is it still leading the way?

THE lure of Pizza Express is as much its grand surroundings as the tasty Italian grub on the menu. Take the York restaurant, for example. The imposing dining rooms with enormous mirrors over marble fireplaces; the floor-to-ceiling windows on to the Ouse; and those loos - with their exquisite aqua marine tiles with fish motifs - are at odds with what we expect from a fast food restaurant.

For many years, Pizza Express had conquered the posh fast food market. But recently, a number of restaurants have emerged to challenge its crown. In York, there are three almost identikit pizza restaurants within a two-minute walking distance from Pizza Express's enviable setting on Museum Street: Ask in the Assembly Rooms, Blake Street; Marzano in Lendal and the youngest pretender, Tuscany in Coney Street.

But Pizza Express is still pulling in the punters. On our visit, early one Saturday lunchtime, the restaurant was almost full.

More than half the tables were taken by families with children, aged from babies to teens; which was comforting because our party of three included my 20-month-old daughter, Eva.

The restaurant is clearly child friendly, but not child centred - which is perhaps why it appeals so much to parents. By this I mean there are high chairs and baby-changing facilities, but no separate 'chicken nuggets, coke and ice cream' menu or colouring sets and collectable toys on offer. It's a place where parents can bring their children and still feel like they are having a grown-up, dining-out experience. A rare thing, indeed.

Children are catered for: they can have a mini-sized pizza - a pizzetine (£2.85) - with the topping of their choice. And no one will blink an eye if you want to give your kid a slice of your own order. Just ask for an extra side plate, knife and fork.

I ordered a mini pizza for Eva with ham and mushrooms, but considering how little of it she ate, I'd have been better off just letting her try some of my own.

Like many people, I have my favourite Pizza Express pizzas. Usually, I pick one of three: La Reine (ham, olives, mushrooms, mozzarella and tomato); Giardiniera (tomato, mushrooms, olives, red pepper leeks, petit pois, mozzarella, tomato) or Four Seasons (mushrooms, pepperoni, capers, anchovies, olives, mozzarella and tomato).

But on this visit, I noticed a few new additions to the menu - a rare thing indeed at Pizza Express - so I decided to investigate.

We ordered the new Prince Carlo (leeks, rosemary, parmesan, mozzarella and tomato) at £6.25 and the Polla ad Astra, (chicken, sweet peppers, red onions, cajun spice, garlic, mozzarella, tomato) for £7.95. We also decided to share a mixed side salad, with the famously creamy and zingy Pizza Express dressing (£2.80).

We enjoyed a cool Peroni beer (£2.90) and white wine and soda (a shocking £4.50 - you pay a whopping £1.35 for the soda mixer alone) while we waited for our order.

It was almost 40 minutes before our pizzas and salad arrived - which is way too long to wait when (A) you have a hungry toddler at your side (B) pizza is meant to be the ultimate in Italian fast food and (C) you call your restaurant Express.

Luckily, the pizzas proved to be worth it.

At first bite, the Polla ad Astra seemed a bizarre mix of sugar and spice: the peppers, red onion and tomato delivering a deliciously sweet first strike; the cajun spice following through with a punch of fire. It was unusual but worked in the way that opposites often do. The chicken pieces were succulent and added some depth to the pizza.

The Prince Carlo was more delicate. The leeks lent a soft and sweet edge, the parmesan a welcome tang and the rosemary a pleasant aroma and subtle flavour.

We polished off the whole lot, and the salad, and decided we still had room to share a dessert.

Since most puddings at Pizza Express come with ice cream too, we ordered a slice of cheesecake (£3.75) and three spoons.

The cheesecake was the proper New York-style. The filling was baked until almost solid and had a creamy, slightly sour taste. It was served on a thin, biscuit base. The ice cream was milky white and suitably sweet. Not a crumb or drop was wasted.

To finish off, we enjoyed two caffe lattes (£1.85 each) - and treated ourselves to a trip to those lovely-looking loos.

Pizza Express may have paved the way for an explosion of posh pizza parlours, but it is still delivering the goods. A little bit more haste in the kitchen and it might even live up to its name.

Pizza Express, River House, Museum Street, York.

Tel 01904 672904.

Maxine visited on Saturday February 21, 2004.

Updated: 08:52 Saturday, March 06, 2004