Via Milano

Review

This Italian fine-dining restaurant is worth raising a toast to everything, which goes towards a memorable dining experience, superb food, good wine list, classy ambience and warm service. The decor is a nice mix of modern and rustic, with pristine white leather sofas, high-backed chairs, part-stone, part-wood flooring, roughly chipped walls, and wine caskets on one side. Having Italian chef Mariano Liuzza from Ritz-Carlton as consultant, has added up a few notches to the menu with its mint-fresh innovative additions, like the Cream of Wild Imported Mushrooms with White Wine Cappuchino, (a creamy mushroom soup, with the most delectable texture, for the uninitiated). For starters, both the European Branzino Fillet with Mediterranean Salsa as well as the Breaded Eggplant Parmiggiana with Fresh Basil Leaves are excellent. The pizzas here are large-sized and can be easily shared amongst four persons, the signature pizza being Via Milano, with a mozzarella, olives and spicy pork salami topping. For pasta and risotto lovers, the chicken filled tortelloni with mushrooms, fresh cream and chives is outstanding, and so are the Mushroom Risotto with parsley and garlic, as well as the Herbs and Mushroom ravioli, both great choices for herbivores. Chicken lovers should order Half Oven Roasted Baby Poullet spiced with Cajun. Seafood lovers would do well to order wholemeal tagliatelle with shrimps, mushrooms and sundried tomatoes in a fresh cream and basil pesto sauce. For sweet endings, try the Tiramisu Al Rum, made with Italian mascarpone cheese, Lavazzo espresso and rum, it's a masterpiece. Or Maybe you could order the freshly-added Chocolate Ganache Tartlet with Bourbon Vanilla Ice cream? Or chocolate lasagna? If you don't fancy desserts, there is an extensive selection of coffees, made with the Italian brand Lavazza. On weekdays there is a set lunch menu option available at a steal (Rs. 500 for vegetarians and Rs. 550 for non- vegetarians) and includes a drink, starter, main course and dessert. The Sunday Brunch is also getting hugely popular for the spread of antipasti, pizzas, pastas and desserts, besides unlimited spirits for Rs. 990, and for those who wish to shun liquor, it's priced at a very friendly Rs. 700.