Retaurant Review: Bella bruschetta

The most difficult restaurant to find is one where you immediately want to take all your friends to so that you can get to go again and again. Somewhere you always will feel welcomed and you can snuggle in, imbibe some red wine or a big pint and sit for hours over good food which doesn't cost the earth. I think I've found it.

It feels like the place has been there far longer than the couple of years it has been. Heavy wooden beams overhang cosy booths and warm red walls. The paraphenalia along the walls and dressers smack a little of the Irish pubs around the world, but it's Italian kitsch and so much classier.

The restaurant is set in a language school which seems to provide an endless stream of patient Italian waiters who understand your assaults on their language, which encourages you to understand theirs. Rig A Tony, Al Fun Gee, Mass Car Pony.

The food is good, simple: bruschetta (€6.90, but it feeds a family), homemade pastas (€8.10) and pizzas (from a remarkable €6.90 for a Margherita to €10). Stick to the ice creams if you have dessert as otherwise they are not their strong point.

The portions are gargantuan and certainly made to share. It will not be the culinary experience of your lifetime, but in this lean month of January, sharing your food not only improves your brownie points on the New Year resolution scale, it leaves your wallet happier too.

Driving up to the restaurant increases the sense of anticipation. A tower looms in the distance, beautifully lit, the Burren College of Art, the darkness of a cold winter night means that you step inside, shake yourself off and disrobe from all your outer gear, keying up in anticipation of a meal you'd like to think is easy to cook at home. Atmosphere on tap.

My only problem with the restaurant that I want to take all my friends home to is that not many of them live in the Burren; it's a bit of a drive for dinner.

Here's a recipe I filched from memory from my visit to the Holy Well. I like to think of it as advertising. Quantities here are literally a moveable feast – up to you and the likes and dislikes of your guests.

Day or two old focaccia

Tastiest tomatoes you can find (the Holy Well use cherry tomatoes cut in half)

Ricotta cheese

Courgettes

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Olive oil

Crushed garlic clove

Basil, torn into small pieces

Slice the courgettes, fry gently in olive oil until soft. Slice the focaccia as thinly as you can but leave in large long slices, place on a baking tray, spread liberally with olive oil and bake at 180 degrees for about 7 minutes until cracker crispy.

On a large plate, pile on about 5 pieces of focaccia per person. Spoon on the ricotta cheese. To one side pile on some courgette, still warm, and sprinkle with parmesan. Add the splash of colour with the tomatoes – these can form the bulk of the topping. Mix the crushed garlic, torn basil and olive oil and pour over the plate avoiding the ricotta cheese.

Ruth Hegarty

Ciao Bella Italian Cafe, Holywell, Newtown, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare

065 7077322. www.holywell.net

Reservations essential