Walking into the brand new La Pizzeria in Teynampet, a part of the Little Italy group, is comfortingly familiar. Muted lights, colourful comfortable chairs and couches, wooden tables with a good measure of wall art thrown in – the décor is minimalistic and utilitarian. What stands out, however, is the mocktail counter at the entrance, replete with brightly coloured bottles that double up as show pieces and an effervescent manager, whipping up mocktails for all to see. As we go through the menu, we notice old favourites from the Little Italy menu, plus a few interesting new additions (like paninis, milkshakes and new varieties of pizza), keeping the café theme in mind.
Soup stories
We begin with an earthy funghi trifolati, mushrooms tossed in Italian herbs and garlic, served with warm garlic bread, a tad salty, for those who like low sodium meals. But, the bruchetta misto, bread topped with basil pesto, sliced tomatoes, olives and capers is the star of the appetizers, with their secret ingredient, the tomato chilli jam, beautifully balancing out the sweetness of the tomato with just the right hint of spicy chilli. Soup lovers have five options to choose from, and the pomodro minestrone (a traditional Italian tomato soup with herbs and strands of pasta) that comes highly recommended, is our pick from the menu – rightly spiced and with a generous broth, it makes for a meal by itself.
Ditch those forks
No Italian meal is complete without pizza, and we opt for the bennato pizza (with fresh tomato sauce, capsicum, baby corn and carrot), which disappoints on its own. However, dip it in their signature onion-and-tomato salsa dip, and it transforms into a palate pleaser. Paninis are a new addition to the menu, and when our arrosto panini arrives, we are encouraged to ditch our forks and dig in with our hands. With good measure, we realise, the filling of grilled eggplant, zucchini and roasted bell peppers topped off with a generous dose of parmesan and a basil pesto, is finger-licking good.
Roll over for risotto
Keeping our obsession with pesto going, we opt for the regio risotto, brown rice cooked in a rich tomato and béchamel sauce, with basil pesto and veggies tossed in Italian herbs. The risotto is perfectly cooked and the sauce, just the right amount of creamy – a dish that also smells good enough (the aroma of the basil is pleasantly overpowering) to eat. We wrap up the meal with some comforting favourites for dessert – the heady chocolate bomb, a baked chocolate cake filled with gooey melted chocolate, and the citrusy creme brûlée citro, with orange bits in the custard, making it the perfect ending to this all-vegetarian meal.
At 55,1st floor, K B Dasan Road, Teynampet. Timings: 11.30 am to 11 pm. Meal for two: Rs 1,500 (including taxes). Details: 8124495000