For a brief window from March 5 to 15, the NMACC Arts Café is hosting Michelin-starred Italian chef Adriano Baldassarre, promising Mumbai diners a curated taste of Italy. The menu leans on traditional Italian comfort, burrata, handmade pasta and classic desserts, served with the elegant presentation that the cultural centre has quickly become known for.
The evening began with the Burrata Tart with Peruvian Asparagus, Black Olive and Fresh Tomato Tapenade. The burrata was beautifully soft and creamy, mercifully not chewy as burrata sometimes can be, melting gently into the crisp tart base. The tangy tomato tapenade and olives balanced the richness of the cheese.
Equally satisfying was the Gratinated Onion with Truffle and Parmesan, where a whole onion had been slowly cooked and filled with mushrooms, onion and parmesan before being baked and finished with truffle. The result was deeply comforting: sweet, savoury and earthy, with the filling doing most of the heavy lifting in flavour.
The mains, however, were a mixed bag. The Pizza Green Zucchini “Solo”, topped with zucchini, ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan, looked promising but ultimately felt bland and somewhat uninspiring. The flavours were muted, and the pizza lacked the punch that a good Italian pie typically carries.
The Angel Hair Aglio Olio Peperoncino, another dish rooted in simplicity, leaned too far into minimalism. Traditionally, the magic of aglio e olio lies in fragrant garlic, olive oil and a gentle kick of chilli. Here, the pasta felt overly plain and somewhat lacking in character.
Redemption came in the form of the Chicken Tortelli à la Boscaiola, delicate pasta parcels filled with chicken and wild mushrooms and finished with green peas and aged Parmigiano Reggiano. This dish struck the right balance, comforting, flavourful and satisfying.
Desserts, however, were unquestionably the highlight of the meal. The Tiramisu, a classic Italian dessert, was exceptional, light, creamy and beautifully balanced with coffee and mascarpone. It was so good that we ordered it twice and fittingly ended the meal with it.
The Torta Caprese with Stracciatella Ice Cream delivered a rich, dark chocolate intensity, while the Torta al Formaggio with Red Berry and Chocolate Ice Cream offered a lighter, tangy cheesecake. The Almond Ice Cream with Orange Zest was strictly okay.
If the savoury courses occasionally wavered, the desserts reminded diners why Italian pastry traditions remain so beloved.
