Fresh from a new makeover of its South Kensington restaurant, ASK Italian has added some fresh new dishes on its revamped menu.

The market for Italian chain restaurants is certainly not lacking in competition right now, so it comes as no surprise the Gloucester Arcade restaurant has moved to get ahead.

And some of its ideas are certainly in tune with modern food trends - most notably pizzas featuring new toppings including pulled beef and seasoned pork.

To start, my friend Joe and I chose the Meatballs (£5.95) and Melanzane Al Forno (£5.85).

The breadcrumbs covering the beef and chilli meatballs were particularly delicious, and a welcome addition to a dish normally served without a coating.

And the the aubergines in the Melanzane dish, covered in a rich tomato sauce, was also a promising starter, especially when, as requested, the waitress showered the dish in cheese.

Moving on to its particularly large menu, featuring more than 10 new dishes, Joe chose the Seasoned Pork Pizza (£12.95) while I the Beef Tortellini (£13.25).

In tune with food trends, particularly east of the capital, the shredded pork is a lovely topping and one I'd recommend, although the more expensive tortellini, though coming with a pleasant red wine, rosemary and cream sauce, didn't quite live up to its price tag.

Upon arriving, it became apparent that the new Chocolate Etna (£6.75) was the dish I simply couldn't leave without trying.

While its sometimes easy to write off staff favorites as unjustified hype, this gorgeous dessert certainly does not belong in that category.

A cup shaped chocolate shell covers fantastic layers of soft chocolate, made all the more delicious by the toffee sauce smothering the dish - easily the highlight of the night.

Verdict

Though a bill surpassing £80 might seem a little steep for a chain restaurant, there are features to ASK Italian that merit an evening here.

Its new menu is an infusion of Italian cooking and modern, fashionable ideas that work well in standing out in a hugely inflated market.

getwestlondon gives ASK Italian three stars out of five.