Acc of base; Tam has a topping time as he gets a taste of the upper crust with a pizza made in heaven.

BELLA NAPOLI SHAWLANDS, GLASGOW

The biggest rip-off in any restaurant (with the obvious exception of bottled water) must be pizza.

Dictionary definition? Bread dough topped with tomato sauce and cheese, sprinkled with a few other ingredients and baked in the oven.

So how come you rarely get change out of a tenner for something so simple? You know that slapping sound you often hear coming from the kitchen of an Italian restaurant? I used to think it was the pizza dough being knocked into shape by the chefs.

But it's not. It's actually the owner giving the staff "high fives" as they rake in another tenner for whate ostensibly, is a plate of flour and water.

Still, it's a small price to pay. Let's face it, pizzas are great. Everybody loves them.

Not the supermarket ones, of course. Those mass-produced efforts are hellish and taste nothing like a proper pizza.

The ones from the takeaway shops are also disappointing. Unless you have a spirit level in your pocket which allows you to hold the box dead straight, the toppings slide off the base and the whole thing is just a dreadful, sloppy mess.

Nope, the best pizza is served at a proper pizzeria and expertly cooked in a genuine pizza oven which, traditionally, should be a few degrees hotter than Hell.

That's exactly what's on offer at Bella Napoli in Glasgow's southside.

Owner Domenico Crolla - an expert chef - has picked up more prizes than the collected efforts of Tiger Woods, Martina Navratilova and Ricky Gervais and they're all displayed in the sort of trophy cabinet you'd expect to see at Man Utd.

Domenico opts for the classic Neopolitan-style pizza - thin base, thick crust - and customers are invited to create their own pizza from a vast array of toppings.

Encouraged by all the awards won by Bella Napoli, I put our server on the spot by blanking the menu and asking for the chef's best pizza.

"Serves you right," smiled one of my mates, "if it's a Marmite, anchovy and Brussels sprout special..."

Nah, don't worry. Having only made one specification - I like my pizzas hot and spicy - the waiter disappeared into the kitchen and, after we'd devoured our starters, I was presented with what he called "the spicy special".

Sure enough, it was topped with spicy Italian sausage, spicy chicken, quite a few chillies and - wait for it - spicy pear (delicate, fruity and, yes, very spicy).

It was terrific. A really good pizza with a lovely thin base and a fantastic chewy, crunchy, well-fired crust.

I had a feeling the pizza was going to be great the minute we sampled the pre-starter basket of focaccia and garlic bread that was even thinner and crispier than Melba toast.

Our three starters were also very good. The penne pasta with spicy sausage was perfectly executed and, very importantly, it was just the right size. Some Italian restaurants have a tendency to supersize the so-called half portions and you end up struggling with your main course.

Ewan's caprese salad was bursting with flavour and the buffalo mozzarella ball was the size of an ostrich egg.

Pick of the bunch was the massive Italian veal meatballs (all six of them), oven-baked in white wine and tomato sauce, cheekily described by Darryl as: "Nearly as good as a tin of Campbell's".

He then enjoyed the veal Milanese, a huge slab of perfectly cooked meat in golden, crunchy breadcrumbs served with a spaghetti of his choice (tomato and chilli sauce), while Ewan raved about the seafood linguini which included - he counted them - a dozen fresh mussels.

Dessert was always going to be a struggle, so I opted for ice-cream (the top notch, chewy stuff). Ewan was even smarter - he had a light, fruity sorbet - and Darryl somehow managed to tuck away a tiramisu.

Overall verdict? Excellent. A great night out. Bella Napoli has apparently been "spruced up" since my pals from Shawlands last popped in.

The deli/diner at the front is all chrome, mirrors and bright lights, while the formal dining-room (open Thursday to Saturday) is relaxed and tastefully furnished.

Service was first-class (the staff knew all the dishes off by heart) and, unless I'm mistaken, they even cater specially for pregnant woman.

Well, how else do you explain the chocolate and banana pizza on the dessert menu?

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Keep track of Tam's reviews on the Daily Record website. Find the best places to eat out at www.daily record.co.uk/eatingout. The new Hot Plate winner is the Piersland House Hotel, 15 Craigend Rd, Troon. 01292 314747.

TAM'S HOT PLATE AWARD

Name: Bella Napoli.

Address: 85 Kilmarnock Road, Shawlands, Glasgow. Telephone: [phone].

Open all day, seven days.

Wheelchair access: Yes.

Bill for three (with wine): pounds 75.

Food: 5/5 - pizza perfection.

Service: 5/5 - really know their stuff. Decor: 4/5 - lovely. Toilets: 4/5 -fresh and clean.

PINK OLIVE 55

West Nicholson Street, Edinburgh. 0131 662 4493

SOUTER JOHNNIE'S INN

Main St, Kirkoswald 01655 760653 23/25

KING'S WARK

36 The Shore, Leith, Edinburgh 0131 554 9260 22/25

CHIPPY DOON THE LANE, McCormick Lane Glasgow 0141 225 5615 22/25 Value: 4/5 - well worth the dough. Total: 22/25.

CAPTION(S):

BURSTING WITH FLAVOUR... Bella Napoli nosh is the real deal