Every once in a while it’s nice to go out to dinner and be entertained – we don’t mean dinner and a show, but dinner itself as a sophisticated performance. At Giuseppe Arnaldo & Sons (GAS) they’ve nailed the balance of great food and theatrical flair. Part of the Crown complex, GAS is bigger than you might expect, but this is where the theatre starts. Black ceilings and floors give way to warmly lit tiled areas, breaking the dining room into intimate spaces.

The show gets underway with the bread station, spot-lit as your selections are cut fresh from the loaf. But it’s the glass salumi case that takes centre-stage and a fire-engine red Italian slicer in the supporting cast. The salumi suspended on display is produced for GAS by chef/partner Robert Marchetti, and its black Berkshire pork is cured in traditional Italian style. Waiters decked in crisp white butcher-coats don fitted gloves and slice your salumi fresh from leg, belly, or neck – your choice.

But beyond scene-stealing salumi, there’s hearty Roman Trattoria fare, from pasta and zuppa (soup) to antipasti or offal. The dining performance at GAS makes it an experience rather than just a meal.