In Parma by Food Roots

My director actually introduced me to this place - who was originally introduced by his Italian fiancee. It's a tiny little Italian tucked away near Charlotte Street, with a small menu packed with loads of flavour. You can't really go wrong with fresh pasta. The gnocchi is a particular favourite. Make sure you have a charcuterie board and definitely try the Lambrusco, which is served in bowls. An Italian tradition! Happy go-lucky Italian waiters are always smiling and ready to help out with any requests - catering for most diets. Very happy here. Value is great - for the amazing food and amazing service, you get more than your money's worth. Have mostly sat outside, and you get a wonderful ambience from the passers by and nearby pub, along with other cheerful diners. A new favourite of mine.

It was second time for me to visit In-Parma, and was impressed ham with red wine. Also pesto was fantastic. I think I'm salivating even while writing this review.

When I called to book a table for 10 for a birthday party I was overwhelmed by the helpfulness of the staff in making it possible and in proposing for me a special tasting menu so that my guests and I could get a true feel for the food of the Parma region. The food was incredible - if a little heavy on the cheese, the tasting menu was great fun and the traditional fizzy red wine served in bowls went down a treat. They even handbaked a gluten free chocolate cake for me - and it was the best dessert I ever tasted in my life. This is a small restaurant run by a team who acutally care about what they do and the food they serve!

I've not tasted the whole menu because I can't get past the sublime meat platter. It's absolutely lovely, a meat platter is doing it down because it's a selection of wonderful Italian cured meats served with a lovely mix of warm breads. Wines are selected really well and there's some fantastic choices, there's also a pair of great red fizzy wines (Lambrusco types) that are superbly rich and fruity served in small heavy bowls, ideal for rich vibrant meat. Along with the meat platter (to share) you get some hot toasted bread with, wait for it, some lard on it. My god it's luscious and tasty, kind of like marrow – It gives you a big sloppy hug when you eat it. It's so thinly sliced it melts onto the toast and imparts a lovely lightly flavoured cuddle. It's not just butchers lard, it's very special lard from Tuscany and you will love it if you like that kind of thing. Go, the people are great, the food is great, the service is great, there's not much that's not great about this hidden gem.

First of all: if you expect a conventional, vaguely Italian, meal, you won't get it here, things are done differently. However, if you are like Italian way of eating – superlative produce, simple preparation, generosity and conviviality – you will love it. I did. Square Meal review is accurate, so I will not repeat it. I will add that wine is superb (different, but very well chosen), staff are passionate and prices are user-friendly. Finally, chianina ragu is on the menu and pecorino is outstanding. So, if you read this far – go, you will not be disappointed!

Went to this place for a quick lunch on Wednesday. Huge mistake! We ordered the “cheese and ham fondue with potatoes for two”. Here's what we got: - 1 saucer with 5 overcooked, unseasoned boiled baby new potatoes sitting on a few rocket leaves between 2 people – 6 very thin slices of smoked ham on a piece of wood between 2 people – 2 small pots of cheese sauce, each being kept warm by a tealight underneath. I am not joking. This was it. No bread, nothing else. The potatoes were simply overboiled new potatoes. The cheese sauce was bland and lumpy. Probably from a packet. The ham was fine, of the quality you might expect from Waitrose. I guess there was about 100g of ham for 2 people. We also had a glass each of fizzy lambrusco which, for reasons I cannot speculate about, were served in breakfast bowls as opposed to glasses. Total cost of ingredients would be £ 2 at an absolute push. A 6 year old child could have prepared the food to this standard while simultaneously playing a demanding video game. It was the most ridiculously crap lunch I have ever been served, anywhere in the world. No kidding. The bill? 36 quid for 2 people. Plus the fiver I then spent on 2 sandwiches from M&S. I don't know whether the whole thing is an elaborate practical joke – perhaps part of a Channel 4 show where they serve comically poor food to members of the public at piss-takingly high prices and film peoples' reactions with hidden cameras. Anyway, if you are hungry and want to eat – avoid this place like the plague. If on the other hand, you want to experience pretention on an epic scale, you are not at all hungry and you're prepared to throw money away to experience something truly remarkable in its own way, go for it. Be quick though. Whether they're joking or not, I suspect it won't be there for long.

The wine, cheese, charcuterie, ravioli, polenta ragu, salad and tiramisu were absolutely amazing. You can feel that dedication and a love for good ingredients has gone into the making of each dish. It is the best Italian food I have had in a long time and I travel and eat out a lot. It is also very well priced and will definitely become a regular for me.