MAXINE GORDON savours some Sardinian hospitality at a city restaurant.

FOR sheer atmosphere, Delrio's is hard to beat. Tardis-like, the entrance - a doorway just outside Micklegate bar at the start of Blossom Street - leads down to a labyrinth of rooms and alcoves: suitable equally for a large family celebration or an intimate dinner date.

Arriving with my other half, Nick, the waiter correctly deduced we belonged to the latter category and led us to a candle-lit nook just large enough for three small tables.

Our drinks orders was taken promptly and we were shown the menu. Although Delrio's is a Sardinian restaurant, the selection wouldn't be amiss in an Italian.

We'd been before and knew to check the specials boards scattered around the restaurant, which were marked up with more than a dozen choices.

We decided to mix and match, choosing sardines and swordfish from the 'specials' and pizza-style garlic bread and chicken with blue cheese wrapped in bacon served on a bed of mushroom and red-wine sauce from the menu.

While we waited, a basket of gorgeous bread arrived. The slices of thick, airy, white loaf with burnt crusts lathered in creamy butter were completely moreish.

The sardines - all three of them - came with a fresh salad of mixed leaves, crunchy celery, tomato and cucumber. The sardines, cooked to perfection in olive oil and lemon, were melt-in-the-mouth mesmeric.

The special pizza-style garlic bread was as delicious. The base was wafer-thin - no mean feat - and the sauce was sweet, with more of a taste of lemon than garlic. It was an unbeatable combination, and we finished the whole round.

For the main course, Nick had fancied from the menu halibut with a tomato, basil, olives, capers and olive oil sauce, But the halibut wasn't available. When he selected the swordfish instead, the waiter said it could be cooked in the same sauce. Nick agreed, and was more than happy with the result.

He said the fish, which has a meaty texture, was perfectly cooked, and was enlivened by the rich, flavoursome sauce.

My chicken wrap was less of a success. Sure, it was a rich combination of flavours, but the bacon and blue cheese combination proved too salty and overpowered the dish.

On the plus side the vegetables, which were served in two half-moon dishes, were a triumph: a medley of cheesy cauliflower and sliced potatoes, sweet carrots and red cabbage and lush-green broccoli, all cooked like a dream.

The dessert menu offered a good selection of Sardinian/Italian desserts as well as ice cream.

Nick opted for some vanilla ice, while I went for profiteroles served with a zabaglione and chocolate sauce. We also ordered two cappuccinos.

Any disappointment I felt at my main course was rectified by this concoction of sheer indulgence. The making of the dessert was the warm, velvety sauce: like a thick, luscious, smooth, chocolate custard.

Nick spooned some over his ice cream and agreed with my assessment.

The cappuccinos came with traditional amaretti biscuits: a perfect partnership.

Earlier, we'd recognised one of the waiters from another Italian restaurant where he used to work.

We chatted to him through the evening, catching up on his news, and at the end of our meal, he came over and served us - on the house - an authentic Sardinian liqueur, made of lemon.

Our waiters for the evening were equally friendly, cracking jokes and making us feel really welcome.

Our bill, with one round of drinks, came to just over £40, which we thought was good value. If you chose pasta and pizza dishes, you could knock about a tenner off that.

For tasty food, good service and a cracking atmosphere, you'd struggle to find an equal to Delrio's in York.

Delrio's Blossom Street, York tel 01904 622695

Food: Very tasty ****

Service: Friendly ****

Value: Good ***

Ambience: Intimate ****

Disabled access: no