Pizza Without Pizzaz

The evening looks promising at IT,the Italian Restaurant,with its open wine cellar displaying rows of wine bottles stacked against the walls.

It,the Italian Restaurant,at The Grand,Vasant Kunj,promises Italian food with a twist. How about pizza with a beetroot base?

The evening looks promising at IT,the Italian Restaurant,with its open wine cellar displaying rows of wine bottles stacked against the walls. The low lighting,pleasant staff and the vision of Chef Alfonso Lomonaco hovering in the background are rather heartwarming. A more imaginative name perhaps for the new restaurant at The Grand at Vasant Kunj,but we are about to find out if the IT restaurant lives up to its name.

The lobby music of a Northeastern girl belting out golden oldies like Nothings Gonna Change my Love is a bit suspect,especially when it clashes with the elevator music that is being piped through the speakers at the restaurant.

The Cream of Mushroom Soup arrives shortly after thick slices of herb bread and butter land on the table. Hot and wholesome,its a nice start to the meal. The entrée that follows puts one in a bit of a quandary-the much recommended Chicken Roulade,despite its impressive presentation,does not live up to its reputation. At first bite the stuffed,rolled chicken breast grabs your palette; however by the time you reach the third piece,your mouth is dry,despite the delicious creamy sauce that accompanies the Roulade. A gulp of the delectable Viña Tarapacá,a white wine from Chile,smooths the way and one can finish in peace.

To order a vegetarian pizza in a restaurant like this seemed like commiting gastronomic harakiri; but,we decide to be different and go for the Chef Alfonso Special. Instead of the usual tomato base for his pizza,the chef is famed for his beetroot and spinach bases. This one has a beetroot base and it lifts the dish to match the thin crust that is light and has the right amount of crunch. However,the faded,uncooked spinach leaves,riddled with little holes made by food insects,cut such a sorry figure that one is totally dissuaded from digging into it – Don Giovanni would surly roll in his grave. No amount of guzzling Tarapacá can compensate for the lacklustre leaves that are neither fresh nor crunchy.

We have our fingers crossed for the second main,another stuffed chicken dish,this time its packed with the goodness of basil,spinach,chestnuts and walnuts. The dish delivers on the taste front and has generous portions. Dessert comes in pairs in a jugalbandi of tastes. The pairing of custard crème with cherry and the chocolate volcano is a winner,especially the custard. The girls in the lobby are now singing Abba and I vow that if I return,it will be to eat a meaty pizza.

Meal for two: Rs 5,400

Address: The Grand,Vasant Kunj,

Nelson Mandela Road,New Delhi

Contact: 26771234

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