Caldesi In Campagna

Very good and worth a visit. The meals are authentic with high quality ingredients. Home made bread, delicious entrees, refined meals. Service is courteous and very diligent. Prices are expensive, but that’s the price of quality.

Yum! The Caldesis (of Marylebone restaurant fame) opened this restaurant in Bray a few years ago and brought a much-​needed good Italian place to Berkshire. The dining room is romantic, quiet, and warm. The service is friendly and attentive. The food is divine. We have since left England and moved to the US, but when we recall the best meals we have had in England, Caledesi in Campagna is at the top of the list.

Many thanks to Discerning 1, whose review prompted me to track this place down. :-))
We checked it out last Sunday for the £25 per nose lunch package: a good way of testing an establishment.
Very impressed, as was la contessa.
Four-​course menu with a choice from 4 dishes for the first three thereof.
The dishes were not these, which I think is just a sample.

I had:
Crab and avocado. A sort of overlarge fishcake that was stuck together with olive oil and subtly seasoned.
Squid ink noodles with clams (squid ink pasta is great).
*Calves liver with spinach. Melts in the mouth.
All absolutely scrumptiliously delightful and the portions were not over-​large, as they can often be in Italy. More ‘nouvelle cuisine’ size.
The pudding course was a set mixture of ‘bits and pieces’. I don’t have a much of a sweet tooth and I have usually pigged out by then anyway, but this little collection was desperately pleasing upon the eye and the palate.
The wines were reasonably priced for a place like that. £25 for a bottle of Chianti Classico, although it didn’t fire me up like the one I had at the ‘Old Devil Inn’ for £18. (see separate review)
I thought that the décor was a bit bland, but I tend to ogle plates rather than fellow diners or wallpaper. The staff were attentive and charming.
Now I look forward to the autumn: Tuscans do some rather interesting game dishes.

Exceptionally good.
Got treated to lunch here during Easter Weekend and again for my birthday in June.
I have been fortunate to eat at some fantastic restaurants this must be one of my top 10 places I doubt l’ll ever forget it!
If you go, try the sea bass ravioli. Enjoy. And save some room for the pudding (s). Magnificent.