ITalia
Ratings
Food 8/10
Ambience 6/10
Service 7/10
Price: Rs. 900
Description
The Anonymous Foodie is often asked what his favourite restaurant is and it is always difficult to come up with a cross-cuisine ranking. However, among all the Italian food available in the city – and it would be fair to say that Italian is probably the most popular non-Indian dining option available here – I would say ITalia is probably the best there is.
Italian food is probably the easiest food in the world to make but at is probably the hardest to make well. At ITalia the food is always made well and is usually interesting. This is a restaurant all about the food. The dishes taste good and the presentation is usually superlative.
I visit often so the staff knows me well but by and large the service is excellent – friendly waiters who know the menu well. This is a small restaurant and if there is one peeve it is the way the tables crowd one on top of the other. The decor is minimal but not something to write home about. All in all, the ambience is not what you go to ITalia for.
They have regular food festivals and the obligatory Sunday Brunch, where you have buffet options if you so choose but I try and time my visits for when the a la carte menu is on offer. Visit often enough and you will notice that they change their menu often always a sign, in my book, of an innovative master chef.
Getting There:
ITalia is situated in the Park Hotel at Ulsoor – not to be confused with the Royal Orchid Park Plaza opposite the Karnataka Golf Course. Because of all the one ways you need to be sure to approach from either MG Road or Richmond Road heading towards Trinity Circle.
Recommendations
The Spagetti Carbonara is very good here as is anything from the Carne section. I particularly enjoy the bacon wrapped steak in the red sauce. But what is spectacular here is the deserts – both in terms of taste as well as the entire effort behind the presentation. And if you are so inclined you can prevail upon the chef to serve you the hotel’s famous mudpie desert. Do stay for coffee if only for the delicious truffles they serve with it.
Ideal For:
When you are really feeling like Italian food, head to ITalia. The food is the real deal and I have never been disappointed with the experience. I prefer to order a la carte at ITalia but the lunch buffet is good value for money as well.
Truthfully, I’ve never had a completely satisfactory meal here.
When on the menu, their duck is outstanding as are their Pizzas (but they’re not in the Olive Beach/Citrus league) and their dessert are worth visiting for.
Yes, their food is good, great even but it’s entirely noticeable when Chef Mandar is on leave. Which, in my book, is not necessarily a good thing.
The Mudpie, sadly, live on its legacy alone as it’s no longer what it was.
I have to agree about the mudpie – though not necessarily everything else. The last time I had the mudpie it wasn’t gooey inside – which kind of defeats the purpose.
A question, does their Carbonara have cream in it and consequently a sauce?
Sure. But it coats the spaghetti so its hardly noticeable. I think all Italian chefs should be tested on the Carbonarra. Its so easy to make but so hard to make RIGHT.
I’m not so sure about the use of cream in Carbonara.
It’s been a sore point that I’ve argued over many times.
I never knew that. My carbonara always has cream. So I guess I follow the Anglo-Saxon version. I will have to check what ITalia does again. I actually think cream in the carbonara gives it its rich taste. Can’t imagine what it will taste like without. I should try it sometime.
But you have to sell your grandma to afford the food there.
Typical example:
Soup – Rs. 175
Starter – Rs. 450
Main course – Rs. 500 upwards
Dessert – Rs. 200
Total: Rs. 1325 + tax = Rs. 1490 per person
(Even just a starter + main course = ~ Rs. 1110; more if you order seafood anywhere.)
And that’s without touching a drop of wine or any other beverage.
Also, if you go on a Friday or Saturday, the music from the neighbhouring iBar will thunder throughout the restaurant, and it’s mighty unpleasant, I can tell you.
I must go and check these numbers again. I have this down as a Rs. 1000 place in my head so I am surprised that my calculations are so far off the chart. And I agree with your comment about weekends – though the leisurely Sunday lunch is a compensation.
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Went for lunch on a Sunday. Was briefly tempted by the brunch at Aqua but persisted. And I’m glad I did. Had a four cheese pizza as a starter (I was impressed at how good it was.), lobster risotto, pan seared duck and tenderloin with gorgonzola followed. All of them were fantastic. Dessert was a bit of a let down, the casatta was horrid and the tiramisu uninspiring. Yes, within the magic 1K a head too.
Thought I’d add to this, I like Italia, but the Duck at Olive Beach is better, and the Steak at Grasshopper. Anonymous ‘foodie’ you thought that Parma and melon was interesting? It’s one of the oldest combinations from the book. Brunch wise again Olive Beach is Iconic and Mynt is decent, especially if you have kids.