The trouble with eating food from other countries in the UK is that it invariably is not from another country at all.

Those cooking the dish may be from the place or at least their descendants arrived here and started in the restaurant trade but in a bid to please the tastes of the locals, their dishes have been adapted.

Ten years ago the wonderful independent film, Big Night, illustrated this point perfectly, telling the story of two Italian brothers opening a restaurant in ultra-conservative New Jersey in the late 1950s.

Despite their wonderful authentic dishes, all the locals would eat was spaghetti and meatballs.

So it is that most Indian, Chinese and Italian restaurants have either invented their own dishes or followed a trend so that should their long-lost relatives pop across for a visit, then they would hardly recognise the food on offer.

I once had dinner with an Italian visitor and I asked him how his meal was. He replied "Very good, for an English pizza," which said it all really.

But now I am convinced British diners are sufficiently well travelled and cosmopolitan to cope with authentically produced cuisine.

At least I hope that is the case because it is certainly being produced at Rigoletto which is nestled in the beautiful rural location of Middleton Stoney.

The restaurant has been there some years but was taken over less than 12 months ago by Giorgio Delli-Compagni and is run by his son, also called Giorgio.

The family originate from the Abruzzo region and have deliberately changed the emphasis away from "English" Italian food to something more in keeping with their origins. So there is plenty of meat and fish, no pizza and a separate section on the menu for pasta and rice dishes.

So it was that we arrived to be greeted by Mr Delli-Compagni who runs the front of house at the restaurant set away from the Bicester Road.

The dining area is set in a large conservatory which was reassuringly busy for a weekday but having spotted a couple of tables outside, we decided that was the best place to enjoy the sunshine.

Our welcome from Mr Delli-Compagni jnr was equally warm and he quickly pointed out that there was an £11.50 lunch menu available that was three courses.

And a quick look revealed that despite its good value, the quality of the dishes had not suffered as a result.

I chose the deep fried white bait to start which was crispy and full of flavour with a light batter and tartar sauce on the side.

My companion opted for the funghi trifolati - assorted mushrooms sauteed in garlic and white wine which again was very tasty.

While we waited for our main course, we sipped an excellent Frascati Superiore (£13.90) and admired the view across the fields.

Potentially there is a far greater outside seating area to be exploited and Mr Della-Compagni said this was part of a long-term plan to develop the site once the business was more established.

Moving on, my companion had chosen pork pizzaiola - loin of pork in a caper and anchovy sauce - which was deliciously tender, although it was difficult to distinguish the flavours in the sauce.

I had picked out the Fegato di Agnello con cipolle - lamb's liver grilled with onions - which was an unusual choice for me but one I did not regret.

The liver was perfectly cooked and full of flavour and comlemented by what seemed to be the same sauce that had appeared on the pork.

The dishes came with a generous serving of vegetables and our glasses were kept charged by the attentive Mr Della-Compagni and his staff.

It seemed sheer greed to eat a dessert after this but as it was all part of the deal, I enjoyed a wonderfully creamy cheesecake while the profiteroles that appeared across the table weren't exactly allowed to melt in the sun.

We rematked that the "sweet trolley" as it was described harked back to the 1970s and reminded us of childhood treats which are becoming more of a rarity these days.

After a quick coffee, the bill came in at £38.75. I could think of no-where else that offers such good food for such value and makes Rigoletto a must for an early return visit.

Contact: Rigoletto, 01869 343216, www.rigolettorestaurant.co.uk