Richa Tilokani visits the Ottimo Cucina Italiana restaurant at ITC Grand Chola, Guindy and comes back impressed with the delectable fare.
A constant refrain one hears in Chennai is that Ottimo Cucina Italiana is the best Italian restaurant in the city. So one Friday evening, I decide to head to Ottimo with my family to find out the truth for myself.
We head to the ITC Grand Chola, famous for its imposing architecture and beautiful marble interiors. But we don’t linger in the lobby as hunger pangs take the better of us. So we go directly to the first floor to our destination- Ottimo.
As I enter, I am impressed by the magnificently large live kitchen in the heart of the restaurant. You can watch your meal being cooked here, if you prefer. Of if you prefer to lose yourself in the wide variety of drool- worthy Italian fare, then you can do that too. And that’s exactly what we did
Traditional Italian fare
We had to choose from an elaborate menu of wood fired pizzas, elaborate antipasto and a huge variety of pastas and cheeses, not to mention grappa at the exclusive grappa bar and select wines from its extensive list. I order the cheese starter, the mozzarella buffalo fantasia – which is warm mozzarella cheese with basil, fresh tomato and olive oil. My husband orders pollo alla imperatora which is a delicious dish of chicken breast stuffed with spinach and cheese and served deep fried with warm tomato sauce. My 4 year old son sticks to his staple garlic bread diet which is tasty enough to pass his quality test. My husband has had pizzas and pastas here earlier, and he can’t stop raving about them. But today we want to try something different.
For the main course, we order the lasagna vegetariana – traditional lasagna with layers of grilled veggies and tomato sauce. For drinks, we stick to a strawberry mocktail and a pineapple juice for my son. Everything is delicious and we can’t remember ever eating better Italian food at least in Chennai. We end the meal with a traditional Italian chocolate tart made of chocolate, olive oil and rock salt. Needless to say, its one of the best desserts we have ever had.
Fabulous Experience
Overall verdict- The food was divine, the dessert outstanding and the overall experience exceeded our expectations. The service was quick and efficient and our drinks were on the table in under ten minutes. Even the Chef paid special attention to us as we sampled more delicacies.
Ottimo has a wonderful ambience that spells relaxed luxury with its mellow lighting and cheerful vibe. It is perfect for special occasions and intimate family meals. I am happy to say that Ottimo lived up to its claim of being the finest Italian restaurant in the city. We had a great time at the restaurant and can’t wait to go back.
For reservations contact: ITC Grand Chola, Chennai
No. 63, Mount Road, Guindy, Chennai- 600032
Tel : (91) (44) 22200000
Fax : (91) (44) 22200200.
