Savor Italia at Italianni's

MANILA, Philippines - Those who’ve seen Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir Eat, Pray Love surely found themselves hankering for a flavorful, thin yet doughy pizza Julia Roberts so passionately devours on screen.

The Italian meals highlighted in the movie — from cinnamon-ginger gelato at Rome’s Il Gelato Di San Crispino to antipasto plate of boiled eggs and asparagus — all looked extremely appetizing, but I was personally lusting for the thin-crust pizza at Naples’ Da Michelle that Roberts ate with gusto. And so right after the final credits were flashed on the screen, I zoomed my way to Italianni’s at Greenbelt 3 to satisfy my luscious cravings.

Luckily, Italianni’s just launched its new promotional food items, which included the Sta. Lucia Pizza topped with prosciutto and fresh arugula. Eat your heart out, Julia! The thin-crust pizza was superb. Just the way a slice of real Italian pizza should be — fresh, thin, and crunchy! Its prosciutto and arugula toppings complemented the classic tomato-mozzarella pizza sauce.

Lombardy: Sauteed shrimp with assorted wild mushrooms over pasta

Well, that’s what I love about Italianni’s. There’s always something new to try every time you visit.

Bringing good, old Italian-American fare to the local foodscape with the same fervor it has since it opened its first branch in the country 14 years ago, Italianni’s, through its corporate chef Jonathan “Boom” Jota, continues to introduce dishes to make dining exciting and every visit to the resto something to look forward to and save up for.

Five Times The Fun

More than just a pizza and pasta place, Italianni’s lets you embark on a culinary journey to five popular regions of Italy — Umbria, Marche, Lombardy, Basilicata, and Veneto — through your taste buds as it launches its “Cinco Magnifico” meals, especially prepared by chef Boom.

Basilicata: Choice cut pork chop marinated in herbs and spices with Italian salsa, pasta and Forestiere sauce

From July to September, diners can feast on five delightful new dishes inspired and named after the five flavorful regions of Italy.

In “Cinco Magnifico,” chef Boom highlights the freshness and natural flavors of the ingredients that are abundant or popular in a particular region. Looking at the beautiful pictures on the menu alone is enough to make one’s mouth water with anticipation.

The only landlocked region in Italy, Umbria is known for its meat dishes, grilled over fire or cooked on the spit with fresh herbs. And since Umbrian cuisine is very rustic, chef Boom relied on seasonal ingredients grown or found in its rich soil for his Umbria plate. Thank goodness, some are readily available here in the country.

Umbria consists of grilled chicken fillet stuffed with asparagus, shiitake mushrooms topped with spinach and mozzarella cheese, pasta with marinara sauce, and spring salad on the side. The chicken skewer has tiny grill marks with specks of ground pepper, which makes it truly appetizing. It’s a complete meal in itself for only P575.

The fresh taste of grouper stands out in this snazzy dish flavored with fresh herbs and tomato salsa. Served with pesto rice and mixed veggies, Marche (P525) is best served with Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, which is also available per glass or bottle at Italianni’s.

Umbria: Grilled chicken fillet stuffed with asparagus and served with shiitake mushrooms topped with spinach and mozzarella, marinara pasta, and spring salad on the side at Italianni’s.

“Marche lies beautifully between the Apennines and the Adriatic Sea. Marche cuisine stays loyal to its humble peasant traditions, and uses only the freshest local produce. That’s exactly what diners can expect from this dish,” explains chef Boom. The nutty flavor of the pesto rice goes well with the light and savory flavor of the grilled grouper.

Lombardy — fresh sautéed shrimp with assorted wild mushrooms over pasta — is a sure-fire treat for pasta munchers. For P495, indulge in shrimp overload with a hefty serving of fettucini smothered with a rich, creamy, white sauce made extra flavorful with sautéed mushrooms.

Meat lovers will definitely enjoy chef Boom’s Basilicata (P525), choice cut pork chop marinated in herbs and spices, and served with Italian salsa, pasta, and Forestiere sauce. The pork is tender and packed with flavor. Definitely, worth saving up for.

If it’s chicken you like, opt for Veneto (P495), pan-seared “airline” chicken with Romano, Parmigiano and marinara sauce. The dish is served with a creamy spaghetti pasta served in a bowl.

Eat and be merry: Italianni’s’ cozy ambience is the perfect backdrop where late-night guests can chill out after a hard day’s work, after shopping, watching a movie, or simply hanging out with friends.

“These five new dishes aren’t authentic Italian recipes. Instead, these are inspired by the cuisine of the five regions in Italy, which we adapted and developed into five different flavors. The end result matches Italianni’s’ taste profile and something that our guests really like. Each dish is big enough to share,” notes chef Boom.

Meet The Chef

Chef Jonathan “Boom” Jota has been with the Bistro Group of Restaurants for only three months, but in that short period of time, he has already introduced new dishes that received favorable feedback not only from Bistro officials but diners as well.

“As the corporate chef and research and development manager of Bistro, chef Boom stays true to his commitment of providing delectable dishes that would appeal to the discriminating taste of our clients. Most of our diners are repeat customers and we don’t want them to suffer from taste fatigue. That’s why it’s important to come up with new and exciting dishes so there’s always something new to feast on on their next visit,” enthuses Lisa Ronquillo, AVP for marketing, Bistro Group.

We are family: Italianni’s director for operations Guia Abuel, branch general manager Sara Masigla, Bistro Group corporate chef Jonathan Jota, VP for operations Paul Manuud, assistant brand manager Donabel Fernandez, and Bistro Group AVP for marketing Lisa Ronquillo Photo by JUN MENDOZA?

Prior to joining the Bistro Group of Restaurants, chef Boom worked as assistant chef at Wynn Hotel, Las Vegas where he was awarded “Star Chef” of the month; as executive chef in various hotels and restaurants in the country; and as chef instructor at Asian Institute of Culinary Arts.

At Italianni’s, chef Boom brings with him his more than 16 years of experience in the food industry.

“Italianni’s is more than just a pizza and pasta place. The restaurant is very aggressive in addressing the needs of their diners/market. And I like that. It gets my creative juices flowing,” enthuses chef Boom.

Veneto: Pan-seared airline chicken with Romano, Parmigiano and marinara sauce with spaghetti pasta (P495)

And now that chef Boom is on board, I’m optimistic that I’ll get to savor the carcioffi alla giudia (Jewish-style fried artichoke) anytime soon!

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Try “Cinco Magnifico” meals at Italianni’s and share your magnificent dining experience on their Facebook page. The lucky winner gets to dine with five of his/her friends at Italianni’s absolutely free!??Italianni’s has branches at Alabang Town Center, Gateway Mall, Glorietta, Greenbelt, Greenhills, Eastwood, Tomas Morato, SM Mall of Asia, Bonifacio High Street, TriNoma, Robinsons Midtown, Nuvali, Marquee Mall, Pampanga, and Abreeza Mall in Davao City