Gusto, Telegraph Road, Heswall, Wirral

Apr 4 2008 By Emma Johnson, Liverpool Daily Post

WE WERE all dressed up with nowhere to go. Well, technically we had somewhere to go, we were off for Sunday lunch, we just did not know exactly where.

But so it was after driving aimlessly through the Cheshire countryside for some time we eventually found ourselves in Heswall, that was following a 30-minute search for a petrol station and an abortive attempt at taking in a bit of sea air at West Kirby. Dressed, as I was, in skinny jeans, polar neck and poncho, I was no match for the March winds (or should that be gales?).

As we cruised down Heswall high street a distant memory stirred somewhere deep within me that the former Est Est Est in this affluent suburb was supposed to be an ideal spot for lunch.

So it was we rocked up at Gusto, on Telegraph Road, in the late afternoon.

Gusto comes from the Living Ventures restaurant stable which spawned the uber-successful Living Room chain and this place certainly has all the hallmarks of one of their venues. Luxurious seating, dark wood, banquettes, exquisite lighting and well-presented cheery staff – it is all here.

It is some months now since the place was an Est Est Est but die-hard fans (and I know there are many) will be pleased to hear that it is still clearly an Italian restaurant, only now it is more fifties New York Italian than mainland European.

That said the menu is not completely dominated by pasta and risottos while they are there, so are plenty of fantastic steak, fish and chicken dishes.

My husband and I digested what was on offer while partaking in our drinks, which arrived swiftly – a pint of Moretti for him (£3.50) and a large pinot grigio for me (£6.50).

We also decided to avail ourselves of a selection of Italian breads (£3.25) to take away the hunger.

After pondering on the king prawns with garlic, tomato and cream sauce (£6.95) and the field mushrooms with Italian sausage – which sounded scarily like one of my favourite ever Est Est Est starters (£5.25), I ordered the baked talaggio cheese with bread and cranberry salsa (£6.50). Only if it had come with Matthew McConaughey as a garnish could it have sounded tastier.

Sadly the waitress informed me it would not be talaggio cheese but camembert. It was a little disappointing to a cheese nut but hardly the end of the world.

My own choice left my husband to pick up where I missed out as he ordered the king prawns.

We were nearing the end of our first drinks as the starters arrived and the minute I saw the prawns land on the dark wood tabl envy started rising within me. They were shelled and plump and pink swimming in a thick and rich creamy sauce. I wanted to trade there and then but he was having none of it.

No matter, the cheese was also great. The thick camembert skin gave way to reveal a gooey melted mess and the cranberry had a fine kick. My only complaint was that there was not nearly enough bread to mop it al up – but ain’t that always the way.

As the starters were cleared away and our second round of drinks arrived, the restaurant had hit that Sunday afternoon lull, too late for lunch, too early for the dinner rush.

By the time the mains arrived we were one of only two occupied tables in the place but at least it meant we had the waiting staff’s full attention.

Living as we both do, on a virtual non-stop diet of the starchy stuff we both steered away from the pasta dishes for our main courses.