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Photos: K. Ananthan

PENNE FOR YOUR THOUGHTS Warm ambience and delicious fare

The quiet restaurant is a welcome contrast to the chaotic milieu of Trichy Road, near which it is situated. Undertones of blue and amber for the walls, straight-line furniture, framed pictures and low-volume music lend an enchanting charm to the place. The picture of a bow-shaped pasta on the coasters and Thomas Carlyle’s quote on the napkins are a cute touch. After taking in the ambience, we order the menu. Browse through, and you know why the menu bagged the Best Menu Card Award in 1999. It feels like a diary, running to several pages. Open it, and you find a sliver of Italy on each page: black-and-white pictures of Venice, Michelangelo’s sculptures, the leaning tower of Pisa, to name a few.

And, now, the food. First Antipasti, the starters. Choose from 14 of them, from the basic garlic bread to Pale Di Potato, which is marinated crispy potato skins served with garlic mayonnaise sauce. Prices start at Rs. 55. Move on to Zuppe, the soups. Select from six of them, including vegetable, mushroom, tomato, broccoli and asparagus.

Then come Insalate, the salads. The menu says the salads are served with warm farmer’s bread. Plenty to decide from, including Pomodoro (fresh tomatoes, onion, basil, oregano and virgin olive oil) and Insalata Dello Chef (with mayonnaise, artichokes, olives, capers and olive oil).

Now to the interesting part. Pizzas! As Italian food is quintessentially pizzas and pastas, you can take your pick from 22 wood burn pizzas. Look out for some of the delightful names: Nirvana, Bombay, Margherita, Sicilia and Pavarotti. And, don’t forget, there are over ten toppings. Then to follow are the Primi Piatti (first course) and Secondi Piatti (second course). Go insane trying to select from a mind boggling range of pastas. Finish the Italian fare with a whole range of desserts, coffee, coolers, juices and mocktails. They also serve Mexican specialities. Wheat pasta and Jain food too are provided on request.

Of course, we will not step out before tasting the food ourselves. We start with munchies – Nachos with cheese sauce; then bite into Crostini Vesuvio - farmer’s bread grilled and topped with a coat of tomato sauce and melted cheese; followed by two pizzas – Indian – spicy tomato sauce with a sprinkling of Italian herbs, mozzarella, onion and capsicum; Tre pepperoni – with a generous mix of tomato sauce, mozzarella, red, yellow and green capsicum and Tobasco; All Arrabbiata – tomato sauce, garlic, chilli and parsley; Pasta Del Barone (noble sauce with bechemelle, tomato sauce, red chilli and parmesan cheese). And finish it off with delicious cream pudding with caramel.

Little Italy is behind the NEPC Building, next to Krishna Sweets House. Peppers, an Indian and Chinese restaurant (vegetarian and non-vegetarian) will be opened on the premises shortly. Little Italy is open from noon to 3.30 p.m. and from 6.30 p.m. to 11 p.m. For details, call 0422 – 4529229 / 4516159.

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