Dining with the personal touch at La Rucola

It's very rare to go to a neighbourhood restaurant and receive professional service. Courteous and able waiting staff, who make the customer feel secure in the knowledge that they are completely in control, are normally the preserve of top-end eateries. But this kind of attention to detail is one of La Rucola's best assets.

The two experienced waiters presiding in this Crouch End restaurant work well as a team with each role well defined. One does the seating, drinks and desserts while the other takes orders and tends to the bar.

It feels good to have someone put the napkin on your lap and fill up your wine glass before you've finished the first. Of course, there is a fine line between attentiveness and intrusion, which the waiters balance well. It also helps if the food they are serving you is good, which it is. The old-fashioned Italian menu contributes to this feeling of warmth at la Rucola. Penne alla Siciliana comes with a so-rich-it's-almost-meaty tomoto sauce, aubergine, olives, herbs, while the melanzane alla parmigiana's aubergines are deliciously soft and oily and its mozerella abundant.

If course, you could have pasta as a main course, which is a good idea at lunchtime as all their prices drop to £4.95. That way you could afford to have cold starters first, like Parma ham and melon, avocado and prawns and bruschetta.

If you're looking for something more substantial there is a great selection of veal, calf's liver and chicken done in a variation to the Italian theme.

Calf's liver chargrilled with butter, sage and white wine is so melt-in-the-mouth it could almost be pate. Fish is also done well here. The grilled sea bass with rosemary is a good option - flaky, soft and with a delicate flavour.

There are vegetables like rucola (rocket) and parmesan and mangetout. More adventurous are the zucchini or battered courgettes, which are probably very naughty but also very nice. With a reassuring list of Italian wines and prices averaging at £10 for a main course, this is a very solid Italian restaurant. And while it is nice to have attentice service, with lunchtime specials of a set two-course lunch for £8.90 and a set three-course at £11.90, who minds whether they put a napkin on your lap or not?