Delicious Italian dining in Mumbai

18.05.12

We discuss the importance of voting at the coming elections, the stars who wear their jewellery to the fabulous hand-churned coffee served in the stylish store of the Datwanis, and of course, adapt the 4 Cs to restaurant assessment.

Mangiamo

Mangiamo translates from Italian into "let's eat" and we get down to it the moment we seat ourselves on the stylish beige, square-shaped chairs and wood-finish tables. There's a bar and a live pizza counter next to us. We're in one more new Bandra restaurant, which opened to a flurry of high profile Bollywood launches by the fashion-designer-owner, the glamourous Mohini Chhabria. Here, the Italian menu combines predictable sameness with comfort and taste. Our thin and crispy, spicy Diavolo pepperoni pizza kickstarts the meal to a high allegro, but starts nosediving as the Pizza Margharita is a bit dry, as is the buffalo mozzarella in the salad Caprese. The stuffed mushrooms are low on salt, the ruccola salad is limp. While arguments on authenticity can go on forever, the Ceaser salad meets with Shaina's approval. It's the intense mushroom flavour of the risotto and the al dente well cooked pasta that has the meal back on track. The herb crusted John Dory is unerringly cooked and served with cous cous. Generous portions of oversweet but tasty desserts, be it lemon cheese cake , oozy Choc fondant or the Noce brownie complete our meal. The service is prompt (Imran Shaikh takes great care), the ambiance is pleasant, average meal for two Rs 2200. We arrive at the conclusion that Mangiamo is one more welcome new entrant to the Bandra scene. Exceptional? Not really. Above average? Yes.

Source: Times of India