Silvano's, Cumberland Street, York

TANTALISING aromas of tomatoes and garlic fill the air as you step over the threshold at Silvano's, the ever-busy Italian restaurant on York's Cumberland Street.

It was Tuesday night, just after 8.30 and the place was half full. We hovered at the doorway, waiting for a table. Eventually, a waiter approached, raising his chin as if to say, what do you want?

"Table for two?" I inquired.

He gestured to a small table by the door. Not keen on drafts, I asked for somewhere else. He hurried us to the back of the restaurant, next to the open-plan kitchen where the waiters were to-ing and fro-ing collecting orders.

After the door location, it must have been the worst table in the house. Fair enough, perhaps, if the place was full. But it wasn't. I spotted an empty table on the far side.

"Can we sit there?" No. It was for regulars who were coming later, we were told.

The waiter disappeared, but we were not happy. Just behind us, on the far wall, but still near the kitchen, were two other tables. When the waiter passed us again, I checked if we could sit there. He waved us on, so we moved. Menus were brought and we ordered some drinks.

The menu is extensive, but expensive too. The cheapest options are the pizzas and pasta and there is around two quid off most dishes if you dine before 7.15pm.

For starters, I couldn't resist ribs in a barbecue sauce (£6.95). My partner Nick plonked for the smoked cured beef with Italian chicory and olive oil dressing (£6.75).

A basket of good Italian bread and butter was brought and by the time we'd finished it, our starters had arrived.

The barbecue sauce was still bubbling when it came to the table, so I had to let it cool before I attacked the ribs.

Meanwhile Nick was investigating his starter which comprised of thin slices of dark red cured beef on a bed of iceberg lettuce. Where was the chicory and olive oil?

When we eventually caught the attention of one of the waiting staff, we asked this very question. He returned with some olive oil dressing but disappeared before we could mention the missing chicory. So we asked a waitress. She just looked confused and turned to the kitchen muttering something about chicken. Then the chef intervened and shouted that he was out of chicory but would we like some radicchio - Italian chicory. We shook our heads in dismay.

By now, my dish looked safe enough to eat. It was a fair portion of five ribs and the sauce was sweet and tangy, but the ribs weren't the best. I like them when they've been so well-cooked that the pork is falling off the bone, but this was more of a carving job.

At this point, Nick, who had been facing the chefs, decided to move round the table, putting his back to the frantic kitchen area. "It's stressing me out watching them," he said.

Silvano's is a noisy spot. There were a few large parties dining. It is also hot and smoky, largely because of the open kitchen. The waiters rush everywhere and you have to speak up to get attention, which we did throughout the meal to get such basics as more drinks, salt, missing knives and the bill.

But at least the food arrived promptly. Our main courses of lemon sole (£13.50) for me and cod cooked in a creamy white-wine sauce (£12.50) for Nick came with a large bowl of vegetables: cauliflower with cheese sauce, roast potatoes and peppers and courgettes in a tomato sauce.

My lemon sole filled the plate. It had been pan-fried to a light golden colour. Under the skin, the flesh was brilliant white. It was perfectly cooked, falling off the bone with ease and soft and succulent to taste.

Nick was less impressed with his cod loin, complaining it was too small while the sauce was bland and lukewarm.

The veggies were hit and miss too. The roast potatoes became sodden quickly by being served in the same dish as the tomato mixture. The cauliflower was undercooked.

We shared a pudding - home-made apple tart with vanilla ice cream and blueberry sauce (£3.25). But again, it was a let down. The apple pie was pleasant enough, but the ice cream was drowned by swirls of canned cream and the blueberry sauce was in fact strawberry syrup.

Over Italian coffees (£1.50 each) we reflected on our disappointing night out. It seemed that Silvano's was a victim of its own success, taking its customers for granted rather than making them feel special.

We dealt with five different waiters during our two-hour dinner. Not one asked if everything was all right, or if we had enjoyed ourselves. Not even a goodbye or a thank you as we left. Shame on you, Silvano's.

u Silvano's, 2 Cumberland Street, York. Tel: 01904 625036

fact file

Food: average

Service: poor

Value: expensive

Ambience: loud and hot

Disabled access: Yes