How thin should pizza be? Italianni's has the answer
MANILA, Philippines - Anyone who wants to try real Neopolitan pizza with traditional dough should dine at Santa Lucia Bar Ristorante in Rome, Italy. The quaint resto has won the hearts of countless locals, celebrities, and tourists for its authentic pizza and pasta selections.
“It was one of the best dining experiences I’ve had during my recent trip to Italy. Their thin-crust pizza was superb. Just the way a slice of real Italian pizza should be — fresh, thin and crunchy. And the toppings, uhm…delizioso!” enthuses Paul Manuud, vice president for operations, Italianni’s.
Paul, together with Bistro Group corporate chef George Lizares and Italianni’s director for operations Guia Abuel, embarked on a food trip recently to Rome, Italy to try authentic Italian dishes that would likewise tickle the palate of Italianni’s regulars here.
“We scoured the streets in search of the best-tasting traditional Italian fare (pizza and pasta),” chef George adds.
Needless to say, chef George found a gold mine in Santa Lucia. And so, when the team got back from Italy the amiable chef wasted no time in whipping up new dishes which are, of course, inspired by their Italian trip.
Savor Italia
Fresh, filling and delizioso best describe the new dishes that await the food obsessed in their next visit to Italianni’s.
Chef George has revamped the resto’s menu to highlight the freshness and natural flavors of the ingredients that make their appetizers, main courses and desserts worth saving up for.
The new menu showcases Italy’s diverse rich flavors infused with the goodness of American bounty and adapted to the Pinoy palate.
Thriftiness and simplicity are some of the characteristics of Italian cooking. As what most Italians say, “A little can be made to go a long way.” Italy’s main staples are just that: inexpensive yet tasty.
“Rice and spaghetti can make a filling dish to which only a smidgen of the more costly ingredients, such as fish or seafood can, be added,” chef George explains.
In Italy, chef Lizares adds, diners eat their pizza and pasta with gusto.
“They eat their pizza with their bare hands and dip focaccia bread in the pasta sauce. The bread oozes with fresh tomato sauce and herbs with every bite,” he shares.
Well, that’s exactly what the amiable chef wants diners to experience at Italianni’s.
“Good food is best enjoyed with the company of friends and loved ones. Don’t get intimidated by other diners. You’re here to enjoy our food so savor every moment of it,” chef George adds.
Well, a trip to Italianni’s isn’t complete without a free serving of focaccia and Tuscan bread that the server will set down on the table before handing diners the menu. Go ahead enjoy it. Just save space for the other delectable treats.
Simply Delicious
Looking at the beautiful food shots on the menu alone is enough to make one’s mouth water with anticipation.
For starters, get a serving of the three-mushroom bruschetta. The toast is topped with three kinds of mushroom and mozzarella cheese, and served with arugula.
There’s also salmon carpaccio. This dish, which was recently added to the menu, has already made it to the best-selling list. The fresh taste of salmon stands out in this snazzy dish, flavored with a nutty pesto sauce. The juicy cherry tomatoes and capers complement the light and savory taste of the dish.
For Lent, chef George has cooked up two seafood dishes — the Mixed Seafood Pizza and the Fetuccine Frutti di Mare — that would appeal even to vegetarian diners.
The Mixed Seafood Pizza is light yet filling. The thin crust is loaded with plump shrimps, soft slices of squid, mussels and chunks of fish that lend a burst of flavor to every bite.
Indulge in seafood overload with a hefty serving of Fetuccine Frutti di Mare made yummy with fresh mussels, shrimps, clams and scallops with your choice of sauce. Enjoy it with a rich, creamy white wine or a sweet and tangy tomato-basil sauce.
The entrees are equally tempting. Steak it away with Italianni’s grilled US Angus rib-eye or opt for the US top blade in al fungi sauce, a specially selected cut of beef, grilled just right to produce a succulent and luscious steak you’ll love.
Pizza, despite its Neopolitan origins, is very much an American staple. The same goes for pasta. Chef George suggests new ways to fall in love with Italianni’s pizza and pasta dishes.
The Santa Lucia pizza is definitely a must-try. Its prosciutto and arugula toppings complement the classic tomato mozzarella pizza sauce.
For the ultimate pizza treat, indulge in Quattro Staggioni, a four-flavored pizza — pepperoni, mushroom and artichokes, shrimp with black olives, and four cheese — is topped with fresh arugula for a change.
If it’s pasta you want, you’ll never go wrong with the shrimp and mushroom linguine or the tortellini, a special shaped pasta filled with ham and cheese, and served with béchamel and tomato sauce. It’s actually the yummy version of good old mac and cheese.
Bringing good old Italian-American fare to the local foodscape with the same fervor it has since opening 14 years ago in the country, Italianni’s, through its corporate chef George Lizares, continues to introduce dishes to make dining exciting and every visit to the resto something to look forward to.
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Italianni’s has branches in Greenbelt 2, Glorietta 4, Alabang Town Center, Greenhills, Gateway Mall, Tomas Morato, SM Mall of Asia, TriNoma, Bonifacio High Street, Robinson’s Place Malate, Eastwood Mall, and in Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
