Ciro Cattaneo and Tania Lea, who left Italy for their love for seas, Indian weather and palm trees, can now feel settled near the dreamy seashore at Valmiki Nagar Beach, Kottivakkam. The couple, who came to Chennai in 1998, has to their credit the city’s first and genuine Italian restaurant, Bella Ciao, which they established in Beasant Nagar. Now, with the shifting of the restaurant to a more spacious place at Kottivakkam, they have increased the number of items to include all Italian dishes.

Kottivakkam appears to be a bit far away, but it would be a worthwhile journey into a tranquil setting where the sea breeze doesn’t carry the city’s stink. You feel at home. The casuarinas, the thatched huts, and the cool lawns will give you a romantic feeling. If you are going for dinner, all these will be transformed into an exotic setting in dim lights.

Ciro Cattaneo was a chef while he was in Italy and when he settled in Chennai three-and-a-half-year ago, he started Bella Ciao as a way of living in an alien land, serving the natives with his homeland’s food. The natives accepted Italian dishes from an Italian’s hands and the relocation of the restaurant is a witness to his success.

“Eighty per cent of my customers are Indians and the rest 20 per cent are those foreigners working here,” Cattaneo says.

Cattaneo attributes his success to the wide variety of Italian dishes cooked and served in the most natural and hospitable way. There is a wood oven on the premises to bake the true Italian pizza and bread, not the American version of these dishes available in the city. He says this oven is the only one of its kind in south India.

Now, let as start with Antipasti (starters) like Bruchella (bread with garlic and olive oil) or Crostina ai funghi (bread topped with mushroom and cheese). Then there is wide variety of Zuppe (soup) like Zuppa di cippolle (French soup) and Zuppa di pesce (seafood soup).

Then comes the celebrated pasta and pizza. Pasta includes Farfalle alla Siciliana (Butterfly Pasta in tomato, aubergine, garlic sauce with cheese and chilli flakes) and Pasta al Bolognese (pasta in lamb tomato sauce) and Vodka Penne (tomato sauce, cream and vodka).

The entire pizza family starts with Margherista (tomato sauce, cheese and basil) Fughi (mushroom) Formaggi (four cheese pizza), Ortolana (tomato sauce, cheese, carrot and beans) Siciliana (with tomato sauce, capsicum onion, garlic) and the long list ends with Le Pizze’s Indian version Ayurvedica (tomato sauce cheese, basil, neem mint and garlic).

Meat dishes include Capretto al Vino (lamb cooked in red wine) Filetto (meat with pepper and garlic) and Costalo di agnello (grilled lamb). There are meat and fish barbecues. And there is a variety of vegetable side dishes.

Salads in the menu include Baggio salad, Greek Salad, Al Capone salad, seafood salad… Fast food includes chicken burger, vegetable burger and hot dog. And the wide acclaimed Italian menu ends with cappuccino and other coffee varieties.

In addition to a number of huts under whose thatched roofs one can have delicious Italy in natural surroundings, there are three spacious and neat A/C rooms also. An air-conditioned guest room is also available.

Bella Ciao is a family restaurant as there is serenity and privacy and also swings and other play items for children. There is provision for table tennis and billiards, too. There is boating facility for the daring ones. There is a South African handicrafts shop and a gift shop also.

Music and dance parties during weekends give an added-flavour to Bella Ciao’s air.

Visit Bella Ciao at least once and realise that the oft-quoted ‘far from the madding crowd’ is not yet clichéd.

Bella Ciao
4, Sree Krishna Enclave (Off Water Land Drive),
Valmiki Nagar Beach
Kottivakkam 
Chennai-41

Salil Jose

Published on 3rd August 2002