Quaint Italian eatery with a lively, warm atmosphere
FRIENDLY SERVICE A DRAWCARD
I’M A lover of Italian food and, as such, am always in search of the perfect pizza or pasta.
So I headed off with family in tow to Ottimo Pizza and Pasta in Kensington, Johannesburg.
We went on a Friday night. Despite being small – only three rooms for dining – the waitron managed to find us a table in a relatively quiet corner. Apparently, Fridays are always crazy.
I did attempt to call ahead and book, but was left with voicemail.
While a little short on the parking side out front, I recommend either early arrival on a Friday or maybe a late sitting.
The bustling atmosphere was filled with lively, animated people leaving a buzz about the place.
Families, friends and couples happily chomped on food, drank wine and chatted among themselves.
There ’ s a quaint feel about the place with its red-and-white checked curtains and bare wooden tables. It managed to feel cosy without being crowded.
Decor is bike racing-related, so if you ’ re a fan, this is the place for you. Many trophies, pictures, bike parts and gear adorn the walls.
Service was prompt despite the restaurant being busy. Drinks arrived and orders were taken without feeling like you were being pushed to hurry up.
My only lament is if you are a parent with children, there is a lack of entertainment for them.
If your children are busybodies like mine – or at that age where sitting still is impossible – bring your own crayons and paper or electronic gadgets to keep them entertained.
The menu, though small with only two pages, encompassed all the important Italian food you may want. I ordered the Pollo pasta with penne, which I enjoyed.
It has tomato, smoked chicken breast and cream. The sauce wasn ’ t too rich, perfect for my palate, and there was an abundance of chicken.
My husband had the Bolognese, which he said was typical of Bolognese – he is a little fussy, having had it in Bologna, Italy.
It didn ’ t quite compare to the origin of the dish, but came close.
Both pastas came in good-sized portions.
My two girls shared a Hawaiian (bacon and pineapple) pizza with extra ham, which they said was amazing.
I take this as a good recommendation considering that only their self-made pizza creations are usually given this credit.
Pizzas are dinner plate size, and they finished a fair portion.
Grandpa ordered the Ottimo pasta with fettucine.
The dish, named after the restaurant, is filled with prawns, shrimps, crab sticks, tomato and a dash of white wine.
I had a taste and was not impressed. The prawns weren ’ t fresh and were quite chewy, and something in the sauce was offputting.
I also tried the tiramisu, a popular Italian dessert, and found it lacking. It had very little flavour and was bland. Let ’ s just say I ’ ve had better from local retailers.
Our bill came to just over R500, and included a bottle of wine.
I would probably go again, maybe on a lazy Saturday afternoon, and try something different.
The friendly atmosphere and good service is a big plus and drawcard.