Dinertec @ Di Maggio's Theatreland, West Nile Street

Di Maggio's Theatreland, West Nile Street, Glasgow 0141 333 4999

IT had been one of those crazy days when everyone wanted a piece of the ol' Tec, but with little reward.

Demands left, right and centre meant that breakfast pancakes were a dim and distant memory, and a quick shot of fuel was called for.

Hunger pangs were making it all seem bleary.

And then the phone rang.

"Tec!" the dulcet tones of my beloved screeched in my ear.

"What's for lunch? The cupboard is bare and I have a hunger that needs feeding."

This called for fast action and even faster thinking.

Toots was just 10 minutes away and fighting through Sauchiehall Street's pre-Games crowds cut down the options.

But then there was a light bulb moment.

That old favourite Di Maggio's.

Little more than a hop skip and a jump away and my little ravioli would be in pasta heaven. West Nile Street beckoned.

It was like synchronised dancing. I raced to the door as the light of my life hurled herself into the restaurant.

There was no stopping her. Almost before I'd had time to catch my breath the Moll was chomping at the bit to get to a table.

Luckilly the service was almost as quick as Blondie.

With little time to say hello we were seated at a little table a deux and Toots was pondering her lunch- time whistlewetter.

"Oh Tec, it's so hot and steamy out there I need something long and chilled to cool me down," she purred.

It being lunchtime we both opted for water.

No, Tec isn't ill and the Moll isn't on a health kick but there's a little matter of a few extra pounds which just have to go.

"It'll give me me room for more food," was her logic.

Scanning the scran list the bruschetta with red onion and tomato and an emerald basil vinaigrette caught Toots' eye while this ol' Tec couldn't get past the stuffed mushrooms.

The large caps were filled with pate, crumbed and fried with a garlic mayo dip. They almost didn't hit the sides.

A bit like the bread which the Moll munched through, a hint of vinaigrette dribbling down her chiln.

The food went they way of all tasty things - straight down the hatch.

With barely a pause the mains appeared - hot steaming plates filled to the edges .

I was starting to feel my Italian connections.

The Chicken Contadina was a subtle blend of sliced breast in a tomato sauce, with sweet peppers, mushrooms, onions and Italian herbs

They were slices of food heaven.

The Moll was equally spellbound by her seared sea bass fillet.

It was a winning combination of a herb and garlic dressing with Tuscan style roast potatoes.

The extra pounds had obviously slipped Toots' mind when she asked for the dessert menu.

And not one to let her indulge alone I found a sticky toffee pudding with my name on it.

It sat cosily next to Toots' hot chocolate fudge cake.

The meltingly good sweets were finished off quickly, and then we sat back and relaxed with coffee and a pot of tea.

While I waited for the rest of my lunch to settle I glanced around at a room full of satisfied foodies.

Di Maggio's has the added title of Theatreland because of its pre-theatre food deals.

It's understandable why - great service, good food and pleasant surroundings - made it a joint that deserves a repeat visit.

STARTERS:

Bruschetta £4.75

Stuffed Mushroom £4.95

MAINS:

Seared Sea Bass Fillet £12.95

Chicken Contadina £12.95

DESSERTS:

Hot Chocolate Fudge Cake £4.45

Sticky Toffee Pudding £4.45

DRINKS: Latte £2.75

Pot of Tea £1.75

TOTAL: £49