ASK Italian - Ipswich

You head down to Cardinal Park and find yourself in one of those reliable Italian spots that's been quietly doing the business for years. The sort of place where the menu reads like it knows what it's doing: wood-fired pizzas with actual char, handmade pastas that aren't trying too hard, proper risottos. It's not pretentious, but it's not chucking out mediocre either. The room's got decent buzz without being rowdy—families on one table, couples tucked away elsewhere, groups of mates making a night of it. Service moves at a sensible pace, and the wine list actually has some thought behind it.