It was the scent of delicious Italian food that grabbed me by the nose and guided me to Col’Cacchio pizzeria in Cavendish Square. As a pizza fan, I simply had to sample the recently launched summer menu to grow my culinary arsenal.
Sitting in a shopping mall to have a meal may be average, but the menu certainly isn’t. In line with what summer is all about, the restaurant has gone for fresh colours and dishes bursting with flavour. The menu has a lot of variety and even accommodates the marginalised. From Banting and vegetarian options, to chili dishes, I was momentarily paralysed by the many options available. Fortunately my savvy waiter saved me from an eeny-meeny-miny-moe approach and suggested the Banting piatto di cibo starter: a platter of salami, salami spianata, prosciutto crudo, chorizo and olives . The meat slices were flavourful and the portion was just big enough to get the gastric engines fired. I’m starting to see the appeal of this movement.
If you’re not a Banter you’ll be spoilt for choice even more as the restaurant has all the Italian classics like spaghetti bolognaise, spaghetti and meatballs, and an extensive range of pizza creations. My waiter suggested the half and half pizza – half Nacho Libre (jerk spiced chicken, home-made guacamole, tomato chili salsa, coriander and sour cream) and half Morituri (seasoned chicken, bacon, avocado, feta, and roasted red pepper). I loved the mixture of the salsa and the sour cream. There’s only one way to accurately describe the generous guacamole topping: mamma mia!
For dessert I had the fire & ice: frozen berries with hot white chocolate. As someone with not much of a sweet tooth, I found this to be ideal. The extremes in temperature really brought out the natural flavour of the berries. And the white chocolate added a hint of sweetness without overpowering the fruit. A frothy cappuccino rounded off my dining experience.
From the friendly and swift service I received I can definitely see myself becoming a regular. Next time, though, I’ll try to show off my newly acquired knowledge of Italian cuisine; perhaps to the object of my affection.
Words: Mlungisi Mthembu
Images: Supplied
