Address: Longsight Road, Clayton-Le-Dale, BB1 9EX.

Phone number: 01254 813 793.

Lancashire Telegraph review by Anna Mansell from October 29, 2011

ALONG the A59 there are a few tempting places to stop off for a meal, but it was La Scala we chose on a recent trip that way.

The Italian is in what used to be the Royal Oak at Clayton-le-Dale, next to Shajan Indian, and we took there being just a couple of spaces in the large car park as a good sign.

The spacious dining room was decorated in a modern, homely style.

Diners included families, couples and a couple of large groups so there was a happy buzz of chat.

We couldn’t resist the bargain of the £7.99 two-course menu, although there is a full a la carte, and chose soup of the day minestrone and breaded mushrooms with garlic dip, followed by the tagliatelle La Scala and a quattro stagioni pizza, plus a garlic bread to share.

The soup was packed with tender vegetable chunks and was a really nice, light starter.

I was surprised there was no pasta in it and no parmesan accompaniment was offered.

The breaded mushrooms were actually fresh and homemade – rather than the freezer-into-the-fryer variety served up at most places – and they were light and delicately crisp.

The garlic bread was a disappointment; the pizza-style base was fine, if a little charred, but the garlic was almost non-existent.

My tagliatelle was delicious and super creamy, with mushroom, bacon and Dolcelatte cheese - although I’d have liked more of a blue cheese tang to come through.

My husband’s pizza base was thin, and it was perhaps a bit overloaded with sauce and cheese.

The toppings of mushroom, ham, roasted pepper and red onions were all good.

We were in a bit of a rush, so by-passed the amazing looking dessert counter, and got the bill for £23, including a glass of wine and a beer – great value.