ITP Indian Travel Places: Food, Travel, Tourism Business Events and Trade Shows
Restaurant Name: Caffe Tonino, Sector 8, Chandigarh
Phone: +911724084113
Address: SCO 190, 191, 192, Madhya Marg, Sector 8C, Near Sector 8, Chandigarh 160009 India
Time: 12:00 Noon – 11:00 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 1,500
Cuisines: Italian, Continental, Beverages
Facilities: Home Delivery, Takeaway Available, Indoor Seating, Table booking recommended
Back in the day, visits to the trattoria-styled Tonino Ristorante in Delhi were made special by the long (often romantic) drives that brought you there. Not least the promise of hearty Tuscan food in a leafy country home setting. So, when they launched Caffe Tonino Chandigarh in February last year, I was particularly looking forward to it. I went mostly for the sake of nostalgia, I must confess, but stayed for the food. The place, decorated in blues and yellows with wood, wicker and brickwork accents, mirrors the charming rusticity of the original. They also offer seating along the outside of the café.
Caffe Tonino, Sector 8, Chandigarh: Food
The menu features a host of starters, salads, soups, pastas, panini, pizzas, mains and desserts. A handful of international favourites are listed alongside. Houseguests, and lockdown guidelines being what they were, meant having to settle for a home delivered meal recently. Our order comprised of Insalata Caeser Classic, Gnochi di Napoli con Pomodoro, Rottolini di Spinaci, Spaghetti con ragu di Agnello, and Pollo al Parmigiana, a Chef’s Special. For dessert, we picked Salted Caramel Cheesecake and Tiramisu. A complimentary bread basket with tubs of salsa and tapenade accompanied our order.
Plus & Minus:
The food arrived relatively warm and could be plated right away. That one didn’t have to struggle with the packaging was a blessing indeed, as were the generous portions. The Caeser Salad was fresh, crunchy, with bacon aplenty; I found the creamy dressing heavier than usual. The gnocchi, while flavorsome, could have done with a less runny sauce and more broccoli. The spinach filled rottolini were lip-smacking was the Chef’s Special–chicken rolled in parmesan cheese, spaghetti arrabiatta, and a side of grilled veggies. Both desserts were justifiably ooh- and aah-ed over. An enjoyable evening thanks partly to the food, partly to several glasses of wine. For a truly memorable Caffe Tonino experience, however, I recommend dining-in.
