It is now more than two years since the Oxford Castle development opened to the public and it is fair to say that the project has flourished. A key measure of this success appears to be that all the original tenants which signed up for the project are still in place and appear to be trading successfully.

And at this time of year it is easy to see why. The Castle offers huge outside dining areas, the like of which you will not see anywhere else in the city, and diners are eager to soak up a little sunshine, or enjoy an evening cocktail al fresco.

There is a great atmosphere which lends itself to people-watching and even star-spotting as the limousines swish up to the entrance of the Malmaison Hotel.

There is, of course, a wide range of food ranging from tapas to doughnuts but the Italian theme is particularly prominent with a choice between Pizza Express, Carluccio's and Prezzo.

The first two have become familiar haunts but Prezzo was only a recent discovery, although as it has proved, a welcome one.

That might be because it is rather dwarfed by the much larger premises of The Living Room, but because it occupies the same block, it benefits from a very pleasant terrace in the main courtyard.

It was here that we took our seats on a warm lunch time and immediately relaxed. Soon the menus were in our hands and the difficult business of choosing our meal began.

Now I am no great fan of Italian food - I will eat pasta and pizza but only if there is nothing else more appetising on the menu.

Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives in the Prezzo selection and it did not take me long to choose. I started with calamari fritti- deep fried squid -which came served with a lime and dill dip.

An old favourite of mine, this was a good example of how it should be done with the squid being in small pieces and suitably tender.

The mild flavour was boosted by the tangy dip, providing an excellent appetiser, or antipasti as it is referred to on the menu.

My companion chose crocchetta di granchio - crabcakes - which came served with the same dip as the squid. Again the verdict was that they were extremely tasty.

Once the dishes had been cleared by the friendly waitress, we sipped a couple of glasses of refreshing Pinot Grigio and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of our busy surroundings.

But it was not long before our main courses arrived. Entering into the spirit of the occasion, I had opted for a chicken, bacon and avocado salad. This was very simple, comprising of the usual salad crops with pancetta bacon, chargrilled chicken breast and croutons topped with a honey and mustard dressing.

What struck me about this was the freshness. It tasted as if the salad had just been picked, washed and arranged on the plate.

My only disappointment came with the avocado which was not ripe, hard and tasteless - an unfortunate oversight on the part of the chef.

Across the table the choice had been pollo a funghi - chicken with field mushrooms - and baby spinach which came with gratinated potatoes.

The chicken was tender and the sauce creamy and delicious, offset by the spinach and the portion was just the right size for lunch.

Of course neither of us really needed a dessert, but the prospect of a hazelnut bombe proved too much.

Despite the waitress's surprise at the fact that we wanted to share this small treat, we carried on, managing to split the ice cream and meringue roughly between us, although the spoons did clash on more than one occasion.

This had been a very good lunch helped by rapid service and topped off by the atmospheric location.

Prezzo may be a chain but that does not seem to have detracted from its standards and we have now visited in the evening, with the same positive experience.

No doubt it will become a regular haunt for the quality, convenience, location and value for money - a combination which is difficult to beat in Oxford.

Menu: Calamari fritti, £4.75. Crocchetta di granchio, £4.75. Chicken, bacon and avocado salad, £8.95. Pollo al funghi, £9.50.

Hazelnut bombe, £2.95 Wine: Half bottle of Pinot Grigio, £6.30 Coffees: £3.60 TOTAL: £40.80