Italian spot aims to be simple but satisfying

Pendolino in Sandy Springs offers delicious bites in relaxing setting.

It’s easy for diners to be distracted by tableside performances, gargantuan portions, Instagrammable green walls and trendy menu items. But well-conceived food and beverage menus, consistent execution and attentive service are the time-tested elements that create loyal patrons.

And they’re what I appreciate about Pendolino, a new Italian restaurant in Sandy Springs.

Chef-owner Kevin Maxey has worked in the industry for 31 years, and his experience is evident in his first foray as a restaurateur. When Pendolino debuted in mid-March, he said his goal was for it to be a “spot where people could gather to enjoy food and wine with their neighbors, Italian-style — simple, elegant and easy.”

That’s exactly what you’ll encounter when you enter the airy space, which has comfy seating — leather-cushioned booths and soft chair backs at the bar. Clean lines and a flood of natural light make the dining room relaxing, without distractions.

The food menu is one page, divided into antipasti; pizzettas (small wood-fired pizzas); small plates, salads and sides; and entrees.

For the most part, such dishes as eggplant marinara, chicory salad “carbonara” with soft-poached egg, and crispy calamari don’t bring surprises — just delicious bites (though I loved the subtle umami

of sun-dried tomato on the fried squid). However, the panino di pancetta was a delightful surprise. Featuring pork belly that’s housecured, slow-cooked and crisped to order — plus tomato jam and a bit of greenery stacked between sliced focaccia from Alon’s — this shareable appetizer was like an Italian-ish rendition of mini-BLTs.

A surprise that I wish I’d been prepared for was the fiery heat of the jalapeno rings garnishing a plate of pink snapper crudo. The ingredient wasn’t advertised on the menu, and the hot pepper had my dinner party reaching for our drinks.

Like the food, cocktails were executed consistently. Spritzes were balanced and refreshing. Standouts included a batched, kegged Negroni, made with three different vermouths and garnished with blood orange and an olive (surprise!); and a ruby red paparazzi with smoky mezcal notes.

At 5 p.m. on a Thursday, the restaurant was so packed that the only place we could sit was at the bar. Barkeep Will Strauss kept us well satiated. He also guided us to the pillowy ricotta ravioli — he said he comes in to eat it on his days off — and told us we couldn’t go wrong with any of the three pizzettas.

He was right. These salad platesized pizzas (cut into four slices) start with a dough recipe developed by Maxey and Chef de Cuisine Andrew Cacioppo. In keeping with Pendolino being Italian-inspired, not purist, they use a mix of King Arthur brand flours, rather than double-zero. A baking time of 2½ to 3 minutes in a 700-degree wood-fired oven turns out a puffy, bubbly crust that’s chewier than a classic Neapolitan pie. I was equally pleased by the house-made fennel sausage and green olive version and a vegetarian pizzette of spinach, mushrooms, mozzarella and lots of roasted garlic.

Pendolino makes all its pasta. There are ribbon-shaped malfaldine and tagliatelle, long strands of spaghetti and the raveable, craveable ravioli. The pasta was commendable, except the spaghetti, which was the thickness of bucatini and very chewy and

gummy.

But the bigger disappointment was that a classic plate of spaghetti and meatballs lacked personality. Two golf ball-sized meatballs were salty and wanting for meaty flavor. The sauce didn’t sing with tomatoes or aromatics.

Also, proteins and sauces meant to enhance other pasta dishes — Gulf shrimp scampi with garlic-white wine sauce, pork shoulder with marsala and mushroom ragu — were average at best.

And the massively portioned chicken scallopini Parmigiano was so overcooked and dry that cutting it took effort. Now I know to stick with fish dishes — black grouper over polenta, roasted halibut on butter beans — that arrived flaky and fresh-tasting.

Pendolino’s waitstaff isn’t quite there yet, either. Runners zoomed food to tables soon after the order was placed, sometimes even before servers had a chance to reset plates and utensils. That can lead to a rushed meal.

Still, with time, Pendolino has the makings of a restaurant that will serve the neighborhood for years to come.

COURTESY OF CASSIE WRIGHT Sharable pizzettas, small pizzas from a wood-fired oven, are on the menu at Pendolino in Sandy Springs.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CASSIE WRIGHT Chicken scallopini Parmigiano (bottom) is one of the entrees at Pendolino, with marinated olives, a Caesar salad and panino di pancetta (cured pork belly and tomato jam on mini focaccia).

Panino di pancetta at Pendolino features pork belly, tomato jam and a bit of greenery stacked between sliced focaccia.