From coffee to cocktails: This cafe in Pune is designed for lingering evenings

There is a point in a good evening when nobody is checking the time The plates have been cleared someone suggests another drink and a conversation that began over dinner finds a second wind On our recent visit to Little Italy Reserve in Punersquos Shivajinagar we could gauge the appeal of an address designed around this very ideaYou can arrive for a coffee at Tutto Bene settle in for a meal at Little Italy and then move to Lily for cocktails as the music picks up Outside the Piazza offers an al fresco setting for those who prefer their evenings with a little open air It is an expansive idea for a brand that many diners know through its pizzas pastas and dependable Italian vegetarian fareBiancanero and Souk PicanteFounded by Raj Mehta in Pune in 1989 Little Italy has been part of the cityrsquos dining landscape for decades Reserve is an attempt to stretch that familiarity into something broader taking its Italian foundations into the wider Mediterranean without losing sight of the food that brought people through the door in the first placeBeyond pizza and pastaThe old favourites remain from Pasta del Barone Rs 715 and Pasta Barbaresca Rs 730 to Lasagne and the Chocolate Bomb But alongside them the Mezze Tower and Hummus Deconstructed bring Middle Eastern influences to the table while one of our favourites the Crispy Fried Gnocchi Rs 625 offers a different take on the Italian stapleCrispy Fried GnocchiTruffle Tagliatelle and Soy Shawarma Rs 725 further expand the vegetarian repertoire ldquoWe wanted to add regional specialities and dishes and a more contemporary approachrdquo says Amrut Mehta managing director of the Little Italy GroupThe steamed handmade pasta section was the highlight with smaller portions of cappelletti tortellini ravioli and manti served almost like dim sum Donrsquot miss the Halloumi amp Honey Manti Rs 725 and the Ricotta and Lemon Tortellini Rs 695 The bar bites brought their own twists from a French Onion Soupinspired tart Rs 435 to Pan Con Tomate served on Crisp Puff Pastry Rs 375 and a crisp Spanish Croquetta de Quesso with oozing warm cheese Rs 435Porcini CroquettesWe ended on a sweet note with Tiramisu Rs 565 which could have been less sweet Olive Oil Citrus Cake Rs 495 before rounding things off with housemade gelato Rs 430 The Hazelnut and Limoncello Rs 430 each are excellentFriendship and foodSicilian chef Alessandro Comis oversees the food He first met Mehta in 2015 at Dubairsquos Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management where Mehta was studying and Comis already an experienced chef was learning more about managementldquoEleven years later here we arerdquo he says The friendship became a working partnership when Mehta invited him to India For Comis the challenge lies in balancing the familiar with the new ldquoOur job is difficult because we are always balancing tradition and innovationrdquo he says ldquoYou can create a new dish but you must also respect the traditional sauces and techniques The quality has to remainrdquoA view of Little Italy Reserve in Pune pics courtesySpecial ArrangementDinner turns to drinksAt Lily the kitchenrsquos Mediterranean pantry inspires the cocktail list We tried the Signora Limone Rs 695 with its citrusled profile the Caprese Martini Rs 645 which draws on the savoury flavours associated with the Italian salad and Garden of Byblos Rs 695 with its herbaceous Mediterranean notes Infusions and milkwashing add layers to the drinks taking them beyond familiar cocktail templatesTutto Bene caters to the cafeacute crowd while the Piazza brings alfresco seating and live music including jazz saxophone and violin performances on select days Lily gathers pace as the evening progresses but the emphasis remains on cocktails food and conversation rather than nightclub theatricsAt Park Plaza Ganeshkhind Road next to Central Mall Model Colony Shivajinagar PuneTime 9 am to 7 pm Tutto Bene 12 pm to 4 pm 7 pm to 12pm Reserve 12 pm to 4 pm 7 pm to 1 pm Lily