“It’s the best Italian food I have had in Beijing” we were told by one Italian who was willing to put his honor on the line for this restaurant, and on our first visit to La Fattoria we were pleasantly surprised that we agreed.

La Fattoria is the second branch of this venue (the first one being where it should be: Italy) and imports all its pastas, olive oils and canned tomatoes from Italy. A glass nook houses their large wine collection, which you’ll have your first taste of the minute you sit down and are presented with a glass of sparkling wine, on the house. The design is simple and warm, and makes a point not to distract you from the more important things: your food and company. Through a long glass window you can see the chefs (Italian and Chinese) bustling away in the open kitchen, preparing some of the delicacies which are about to be brought to you by attentive and well-trained staff.

Fritturina Napoletana (Napoli fried specialties, ¥45), which are a selection of fried breads, mashed potatoes and rice were crisp and hearty without being oily and the affettati di salumi (home made salami, ¥75) was tender and subtle, a nice break from the salty concoctions we normally come across. The rigatoni alla Genovese (Genovese tube pasta with onions, ¥55), is made by stewing onions and beef until a thick, sweet sauce forms. A dish that is worth the wait. Following that came the salsiccia di nostra produzione con patate (home made sausage with potatoes, ¥50) which was, as one dinner guest said, “exactly what sausage is supposed to taste like!” The potatoes it was paired with were thin, crisp and delicious.

Saying that the desserts here are great would be a step too far, but they do taste home-made. Some recommendations are the Napolitano baba soaked in rum and topped with fresh whipped cream (¥40) and the Napolitano ricotta cheese and wheat cake (¥40).

With food and service this good, it’s easy to see why the place was filled with happy diners swirling glasses of wine, talking passionately and casually drifting through their courses of food. To say the least it is lively, and it’s only with the combination of liveliness, good food and wine that true dinner intimacy can be created.

THE DETAILS

Perfect for:

an intimate, live and authentic Italian meal

Add:

Shop 5, Phoenix Xintiandi, Shuguang Xili, 曙光西里凤凰新天地5号商铺

Tel:

5866-7072

The Verdict: 4.5/5