Panevino, the new Mid-Levels Italian restaurant that opened in June, provides a no-nonsense solution to the problem of what to have for dinner tonight. This is the latest addition to the stable of restaurants belonging to the Phuket's Group, which also owns the popular Phuket's and Rico's in Mid-Levels and the Thai Cafe in Quarry Bay.
This tiny restaurant specialises in traditional northern Italian cuisine with the emphasis on fresh ingredients. The name - pane is Italian for bread and vino for wine - bodes well for any restaurant. It plans to offer a broad selection of Italian wines when the elusive liquor licence is granted.
All the breads are baked on the premises. The selection of French bread, herbed focaccia and large squares of white bread with fried onions will keep hunger pangs at bay while one decides what to order.
The three-page menu is relatively simple and has all the usual favourites. On the list of starters is prosciutto with melon ($70), battered squid, and beef or salmon carpaccio.
For a light snack to share, the crostini are a good choice ($60 for six). These are slices of toasted bread heaped with toppings from a selection of four: gorgonzola; tomato and basil; chicken liver and garlic; and olive oil.
There are no surprises in the salad department. Ripe tomatoes are served with fresh buffalo mozzarella and black olives ($95). The prawns, squid and white fish chunks in the marinated seafood salad ($85) were positively swimming in the green herbed virgin olive-oil dressing. You can also enjoy an interesting medley of tomatoes, onion, pimento, cucumber, black olives, capers and egg.
Pasta deserves a section of its own. Again all the favourites are here: fettucine carbonara ($95) tossed in cream, butter, egg, Parmesan and pancetta, spaghetti with traditional pesto sauce ($80) and lasagne ($110). There are also more exotic choices, such as fettucine in lobster cream sauce ($120).