Jamie's Italia, Cambridge

Jamie Oliver is probably one of the most famous English chef nowadays (after Gordon Ramsay?). It almost looks that before him, there was no food culture in the UK.

When we've been visiting Cambridge, we've also visited couple of times Jamie's Italian restaurant there.

The Jamie Oliver restaurant in Cambridge is an italian inspiration restaurant. Built in a former library, it enjoys the fantastic main room with very high ceiling and plenty of light all over the place. In another hand the downside of this place is that is was built at first to be silent. Its new role as a major restaurant of Cambridge does not fit it totally as the place may feel too noisy sometimes (the sound reverberation is high).

It is simply, but nicely decorated. Italian inspiration, exactly as in Jamie's books about italian food. The place is organized with its bar/kitchen all open on the dining room so that everyone can at anytime observe how his meal is prepared. It is pretty easy to get a table for lunch there, but perhaps for diner a booking is preferable.

The Menu offers a very wide range of Jamie's italian's classics, hamburgers/ sliders and salads. Seafood dishes are especially good there. The daily chef's offer are often a solid bet.

As starter you can always go for a selection of Italian breads and why not some fried squids and dips.
On our last venue we picked as a main the shellfish raviolis. Very tasty, perfectly cooked, and in a just big enough proportion. Our host got some wild poultry (sorry, don't remember what it was exactly), which she loved.

Desserts are also to be recommended at Jamie's. Except for the chocolate brownie, which I tend to find too mild in its chocolate taste.

Jamie's place in Cambridge is place to recommend. You won't have a three stars meal there, but you will be pleased. The place itself, easygoing and simple food just wont let you down. This place is also perfect with kids!

You may dislike the serious business around Jamie Oliver, but we must acknowledge him and his restaurants that many British families (and now families around the world) have started to like cooking decent food at home. Jamie's manifests are selling pretty well and that's a good thing!