Luciana Righi and Mario Guerini both did stints at Assaggi and Il Tartuffo, before opening up their very own restaurant in Sandton just over seven months ago. Amarcord  – meaning ‘I remember’ – has been the name on everyone’s lips ever since. Here’s why.

The food
Our starter – Pinzimonio alla Fellini – came with a carrot, celery and fennel crudité fanfare exploding from a wine glass in the middle of the plate, surrounded by numerous little bowls filled with the likes of aubergine and sundried tomato, fantastic tapenade, bresaola, pickled mushroom, and cheese, among others. Antipasti selections include suppli di riso – rice croquettes with mozzarella, Napoli sauce and zucchini chips – or brochette miste; served with olive paste, carretteliera, grilled brinjals, mozzarella, sliced tomato and grilled mushrooms.

Luciana tells a lovely story of how her asparagus and brie lasagne came to life after catering a party for one of her children and finding a large brie left over. The result is truly one of the most delicious and comforting versions of lasagne imaginable, with a multitude of homemade pasta layers interspersed with asparagus, well-seasoned béchamel and cheese.

If meat is your thing, opt for Cotoletta alla Milanese; a veal chop served with rocket, green beans and boiled potato or the rack of lamb. Main course options, including pasta and insalate, are many and varied, but do note that this is not a pizza joint.

End the meal with a bowl of divine orange and Campari sorbetto or pistachio ice cream. Other desserts include dolce della nonna, which is described as consisting of amaretti biscuits, Marsala sabayon, cream, pecans and dark chocolate; tiramisu; chocolate fondant or panna cotta. The capuccino is great too.

The wine
The wine list currently offers a small selection of great wines, but one can see that this will grow as the business expands. AA Badenhorst Secateurs chenin blanc is a beautiful wine with superb balance and elegance at a great price. For chardonnay, Uitsig and Bouchard Finlayson Kaaimansgat are the options, while Hartenberg Weisser riesling is available for those who wish to try something different from the usual. On the red side, both the First Sighting and Vriesenhof pinot noirs are available, or go for the Vergenoegd Runner Pack red, Uva Mira merlot/cab or Waterford “The Jem”. Most of the wines are also available in a 250ml carafe as a ‘per glass’ option.  

The service
A team of spiffy men in red-striped shirts with blood-red aprons tend to guests, and hosts Mario Guerini and Luciana Righi are also very hands-on. Dining at Amarcord Osteria is a truly pleasurable experience; these are people who have been in the industry from many years, so you can relax and enjoy the unfussy ambiance and food. Both hosts will likely visit your table at some point, and Luciana, in her deep, accented voice, will relay tales of the roasted tomatoes in her home country.

The ambience
The restaurant combines elements of classical northern Italian with a dash of Mediterranean and some Jo’burg smarts. The white-washed furniture, white linen and elegant glassware make it immediately apparent that this is not a run of the mill pizza/pasta Italian restaurant. Nevertheless, the atmosphere is in no way stuffy or overly ornate. This is a relaxed place where many patrons seem to know each other, as evidenced by a general back and forth greeting and air-kissing. Enter from the Thrupps Centre into a large room where the kitchen and all its activity are visible through large glass panels. A lovely verandah offers more seating giving onto Oxford Drive.

And…
Perhaps mid-summer Gauteng is not the best time to order the divine sounding Passatelli in Brodo – traditional pasta from Romagna made with parmesan, bread crumbs, egg and nutmeg in a veal broth – but this will without a doubt be a dish to return for on those cold Johannesburg evenings looming ahead. However, Zuppa di Cozze might be a suitable summer soup, made with fresh mussels, tomato, chilli, parsley, garlic and white wine. Does that not sound like pure, unadulterated Mediterranean bliss?

By Hennie Fisher

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