In italy, for luck they say "bocca di lupo", which means "into the mouth of the wolf". But the proprietors of this new italian don't need luck. It's sensational. The wooden tables in this sleek, bright space are splattered with fake-looking red wine which smacks of faux-rustic chic, but all else is wildly authentic, from the crunch of the warm, bouncy bread to the glass of anselmi Capitelli dessert wine (£6).

The menu reads like a mouthwatering tour of regional Italy. I'd recommend you order a selection of three or four plates each, not the traditional starter/main. We strayed from dishes we knew we'd enjoy, like a velvety £6.50 lamb prosciutto from Sardinia (a wonderfully musky taste) to experiment with Venetian fried eel and red prawns (£8.50), which only totally made sense combined with its white polenta. A £14 main to share, the swordfish "alla Palermitana" was breaded and pan-fried with capers and ricotta salata to achieve a rare tenderness and depth of flavours.

We went mad on side orders-Sicilian blood oranges with red onion and oregano (£5), a refreshing alternative to salad, and crisp-fried yet gorgeously melting artichoke alla guida (£3.50), fast becoming Bocca's signature dish. For afters my friend had a burnt almond granita and satisfyingly bitter chocolate sorbet (£7). I went out on a limb with a £6 sanguinaccio - a sweet plate of pig's blood and chocolate. I was dubious, but it made perfect sense spread on sourdough bread like a super-refined nutella. Chef Jacob Kennedy cut his teeth at Moro - this venture could well rival its success.