What is there to be said about Milano's? I hesitated before deciding to review a recent evening in the new Dun Laoghaire outpost ? I hadn't gone out with the intention of writing about an experience with which most people will be familiar, and so there was none of the assiduous note-taking or grilling of my companions about their meals and satisfaction level that usually goes on. The result is that the review that follows may be short on detail but will be long on overall impression.

We were a large, multi-generational group out to celebrate a birthday on a Monday evening ? not an auspicious start, you might think. The first surprise was that the restaurant was more or less full, and stayed that way from when we arrived at seven until we left three hours later. Milano's had been running a voucher promotion entitling diners to two main courses for the price of one, which presumably had something to do with the steady stream of punters flowing into the restaurant all evening.

One of our party (canny girl, she'll go far) had gone to the trouble of downloading and printing off a batch of these vouchers so that the birthday party could avail of them too. That offer has since finished but I'm told that there are others in the pipeline ? definitely worth watching out for.

Milano Dun Laoghaire is in a smart new development opposite the Dart station. As is the way with other Milano's, the kitchen is open and affords a fine view of the pizza-making process for those who want it. The interior is stylish and there's a covered and heated outdoor terrace that will come into its own when the weather warms up.

We started with a few (okay, many) orders of dough balls and garlic bread, and some bruschetta ? the tomato and basil and mushroom varieties. I wouldn't stand over the authenticity of each of these offerings (the mushrooms come, for instance, in a creamy béchamel sauce), but everything disappeared in jig time and repeat orders were delivered speedily.

Rachel likes dough balls so much ? she admits to a bit of an obsession with them ? that when she went to Milano's for her confirmation lunch back in 2003, she ordered them as a starter and then again after the pizza in place of pudding.

Pizzas (€10.50 to €15.95) are, of course, what Milano's is associated with and they did not disappoint. We covered a fair cross-section of the menu ? a couple of Sohos (topped with rocket), an American (pepperoni), some Padanas (goats' cheese, spinach and red onion), a Padrino (chicken and roasted vegetables), a Sloppy Giuseppe (spiced beef, green peppers and onions), and a pair of the 'designer' specials (Theo's Gamberettini) with brown shrimp. Some pizzas can be ordered with an extra thin crust in the Romana version ? recommended.

Lasagne and Pollo Pesto, a pasta dish, (both €13.95) were popular too and a whole chocolate birthday cake (€30) provided pudding for all of us, which seemed like a bit of a bargain.

With soft drinks and three bottles of over-priced Pinot Grigio (€24.95), the bill (before service) for seventeen came to €452.60 before the vouchers and €357.90 after ? €23.50 a head including tip.

We still have occasions to celebrate. We don't want to stop eating out. As long as there are places like Milano's to serve up a crowd-pleasing, quality food offering at a decent price we will continue to do so.