Alexi looks around to see what has happened, with the sudden change of atmosphere to an ice-cold chill, and one of the men frowns at me before whipping the menu out of his wife’s hand and sternly orders meals for them both. He doesn’t even ask her what she wants and just tosses her menu back when he is done. Cousin two follows suit and then Gino and Alessandra order for themselves quickly while no one seems to take a breath.

There’s a weird strained tension all around us, like a heavy smog and finally Alexi pipes in to break it.

“Steak for me too … make it a bottle...