Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Very cheesy, very indulgent
WHEN someone asks the question ‘what were you thinking?’ the answer is usually ‘wasn’t’. This is definitely true of my meal at Piazza Italia, which comprised almost entirely of dairy products. The only thing that didn’t start out as milk was the wine.
For starters there are dishes like octopus carpaccio as well as the traditional beef, caprese salad, arancino (risotto balls filled with beef ragu, as they should be), and a platter of meats and cheeses for two. We decided to have the bocconcini di formaggio fritti ( R65); the description of cheese balls encrusted in breadcrumbs then deep fried, served with a pepper sauce and drizzled with honey, was irresistible.
It was the one item that leapt off the page of the menu, so we decided to share a portion of four. They were everything we expected.
The main courses presented more of a problem. I very much wanted melanzane but there was none left. There are some chalkboard specials, and a good selection of primi and secondi. Unfortunately I cannot eat like an Italian so it always has to be one or the other. Secondi lean heavily towards steak dishes, with veal, lamb, fish, and mussels as alternatives, with prices ranging from R90 to R175.
In this case, we were in the mood for pasta (or primi),which average around R100. I struggled to decide between spaghetti alla carbonara (with pancetta, parmesan and eggs); tagliolini with smoked salmon, vodka, and caviar; tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms, Italian sausage and piselli (peas) in a tomato and cream sauce; and tortelloni al burro e salvia which is a large spinach ravioli filled with spinach and ricotta in a burnt butter and sage sauce. The woman taking our order wasn’t much help because she recommended everything, but did point out the gnocchi di ricotta (R80) is a house speciality. “Okay, then give me that please,” I said decisively. It’s not very attractive on the plate, being four large oval balls pale in colour, painted beige with burnt butter sauce studded with parmesan, and no garnish to break the monotone presentation. Light and delicious, though, but after one and a half balls I couldn’t handle any more.
Next to me, Diva was tucking into a bowl of al dente spaghetti alle vongole (R98), which was just pasta and a lot of clams. The flavour of the shellfish can be quite overpowering, and having nothing else in it but the clams and their liquid to balance it, the dish failed to impress.
To finish we shared again – although I had just one or two mouthfuls because the dessert Diva chose was panna cotta (R40) topped with berries. Or frutti di bosco. The Italians can make everything sound more romantic. So – cheese, more cheese, butter, and cream. You can have too much of a good thing.
The meal was good, bad ordering notwithstanding, and prices are reasonable.
The bill came in at R393 with a bottle of Leopard’s Leap shiraz (R110), before the tip.