I noticed La Cucina for the first time as I stood at the bus stop opposite on the last Wednesday of June. "Open later today" said a blackboard notice outside the premises in St Clement's which, before a rebuild, used to house Electric Aids. I last visited in about 1990 to get a part for what I thought was an 'almost new' vacuum cleaner. "Sorry mate; they haven't made those for ten years," the assistant told me. A spot of Araldite and the machine's still going strong today, its longevity explained by how little it's used. There are better things in life than cleaning. Eating is one.

I'd have tried La Cucina almost at once, had it not happened that Rosemarie and I were leaving the very next day for Greece. (Holidays are better than cleaning, too.) When we came back the Sunday before last, our X70 Heathrow coach stopped right outside and I could see that it was heaving. There was plenty of time to look, because we were at the stop for longer than usual as some 20 or so teenagers clambered off and retrieved their luggage from the hold. En route for the Jonathan Markson Tennis Camp, they were all Italian. I know because many of them were still brandishing newspapers with headlines about their country's World Cup victory and singing songs about it.

I guessed they would be trying La Cucina over the next few days or perhaps not. Do Italians follow the example of some Britons abroad and search out an authentic 'taste of home'? It would be understandable in their case since the taste is one worth seeking out. Certainly, it is one that is supplied by Alberto Brunelli and his kitchen team in St Clement's as I found when I visited two days after my return to Britain.

That Alberto was the man supplying it actually only became apparent to me at the end of our excellent meal when he emerged from the kitchen to say hello. We had met for the first time seven years ago when he set up the kitchens as the first head chef at Quod, in High Street. Later, he performed the same service for Jon Ellse at Portabello in South Parade. A chef of distinguished pedigree, he has worked at the Cipriani Hotel and (scarcely less legendary) Harry's Bar in Venice, and London's super-luxury Dorchester Hotel.

La Cucina represents his first solo business venture, which is not the most felicitous way to put it since he is working in partnership with his wife Yola, who was formerly the general manager of London's Berkeley Hotel. Her skill in selecting and motivating the young staff who work with her 'front of house' is obvious in the cheery attentions they supply to their customers.

Good feelings began the moment we arrived and found that a table had been reserved for us in the front part of the restaurant, whose open frontage provided much-needed ventilation on this muggy evening. (At other times of the year, I dare say, I will be glad to be in the larger rear part of the premises where a pizza oven is a focal point of the open-plan kitchen.) Further cooling came from the S. Luigi sparkling mineral water and first sips of the Sicilian chardonnay, with its summery hints of apricot.

I began my meal with a dish of assorted olives (£1.95), before moving seamlessly on to a bowl of flavour-packed tomato and basil soup with cannellini, which admirably lived up to the restaurant's boast to supply "robust" I like that word Italian food. This was once of the day's specials, as was my superb chargrilled swordfish steak (moist and succulent) which followed, with an avocado-based salsa and new potatoes. Not realising there would be a generous salad garnish too, I ordered a rocket and parmesan salad as well, but it was certainly not wasted.

Rosemarie began with the third of the day's specials, an elegant dish of crayfish tails with cannellini, roasted peppers, and a salad of chopped tomatoes, celery, carrots and fresh parsley. She continued with a generous bowl of linguini alla carbonara, which featured chunkier-than-usual pieces of bacon to offset the slippery creaminess of the cheesy pasta.

The menu features half a dozen other pasta dishes, as well as 16 different pizzas, salad and antipasti of various kinds (including dishes of crab, calimari and grilled vegetables) and a limited (either rib-eye steak or salmon) choice of carne and pesce.

Yoghurt, honey and fresh berries provided a super finish to the meal for me, while Rosemarie had poached plums which as she told a concerned Alberto later weren't nearly ripe enough. This was one minor niggle about an otherwise fine meal. We were back at La Cucina three days ago this could become a habit.