The year draws to a close and it has been an Italian extravaganza this year around. But it is the year end which throws up the biggest surprise. From Italian PDO cheeses to Hyatt Regency Chandigarh‘s newest wonder kid, Piccante, the list goes on. Although there has been a severe bastardization of the beautiful Italian food, the most refreshing part has been the strict adhesion to authenticity as far as the culinary creations have been concerned. But this happening in Chandigarh is what makes this restaurant even more endearing.
P
iccante is a throwback to the coastal areas of Italy with a stunning yet casual decor. The huge restaurant complies with the ethos of the hotel which gives you a sense of space. The city of Chandigarh, so meticulously planned also shows it’s influence over the restaurant with a sense of structured space along with a plethora of clean cut lines. The warm yet casual interiors lighten up your hearts with small square tables dominating the space. The restaurant turns into a elegant fine dine in the evening with the alfresco dining seating perfect for romantic evenings.
But with the restaurant being in the city of Chandigarh, going overboard with the classic creamy, cheesy flavours of North Italy would have been a disaster. The restaurant Piccante meaning “Spice” in Italian bases itself on the more explosive South Italian flavours. With Chef Antonio Chierieleison being a Sicilian himself, his food is just like him. A load of flavours that explode spectacularly on your palate. We sit down to sample some of the Chef’s finest with some of a Valdivieso Malbec 2009 and San Medin Cabarnet Sauvignon 2014.
We start off with a Neapolitan pizza with a perfectly thin, soft crust and a in house tomato sauce with a load of Salami Picanti, red onions and mozzarella. Insalata is a classic tomato and mozzarella along with a load of rocket to give it the zing along with dashes of extra virgin olive oil. We try out their freshly made pasta with spinach and ricotta filled ravioli taking top honors.
The mains include a series of Lamb chops and Fish to round it off. The fennel spiced sausage risotto is probably one of the best ones that you might get in Chandigarh with the perfect chalkiness of the rice. Finish off the Italian casual dine with a classic Tiramisu. The perfect balance of sweet, bitter and creaminess makes this dish a perfect ending to the meal. So if you’re hovering around Chandigarh this coming year, solve all your Italian cravings at Piccante at the Hyatt Regency Chandigarh.
