Paolo Tullio visits Toscana Restaurant.

Toscana on Dublin’s Dame Street is situated directly across from Dublin Castle and only minutes away from Dublin's attractions of historical, cultural, theatrical and shopping interests. They specialize in authentic Tuscan and Mediterranean dishes and the food is a delicate blend of traditional Italian cuisine with an emphasis on organic and seasonal ingredients. This isn’t just lip service either. They have several acres of organic vegetables at home in Co. Wicklow and pick their salads and vegetables in the morning on the way into work. I am used to getting this in Greystones, in excellent places like the Happy Pear or Marc Michel’s organic farm, but in Dame Street, at the edge of Temple Bar, that is just a little bit special. Needless to say vegetarian and coeliac dishes are widely available.

We ate there recently at lunchtime, on a bright sunny Wednesday. There is at present a special lunch menu, where a starter and a main course cost from €8.95. So effectively you are having lunch for under a tenner. At these prices you might think you should not expect too much, but in Toscana, they really keep up the standards even at this value. We enjoyed a bruschetta to start, toasted homemade bread with a topping of tomatoes, garlic and basil, all marinated in a good olive oil and piled on top at the last minute. Really very tasty. For the main course I had the cannelloni while Deirdre decided on the warm chicken Caesar salad. Both of these dishes were very well executed and we finished a really enjoyable lunch for €25. Not many places you can get that value even in these more austere times.

There is a selection of fine and premium wines from Italy and other choice regions around the world have been carefully selected. So whether it’s a leisurely afternoon lunch, pre theatre dinner or an atmospheric evening with family and friends, if you wish to combine a real trattoria feel with a warm friendly atmosphere then a trip to Toscana is a must.