George's La Dolce Vita
Far away from the chaos of Banani 11, La Dolce Vita is on the eighth floor of the building and is blessed with quite a nice view. The lift opens to the reception of the eatery. The soothing embrace of this place immediately surrounds you and you're welcomed with the warm smiles of the people behind the counter.
It's the perfect place to come to with a small group of friends and even if you are looking for a place to spend some time alone and catch up with some work. Once the pleasant Italian music kicked in, I realised I'd love to come here even for a date.
The intimate sitting arrangement is also very Italian in essence- something you're likely to enjoy even on a busy day.
On the weekdays La Dolce Vita has a special lunch menu: any pizza or pasta of your choice and a drink to choose from an Arnold Palmer, Iced Tea or Water, which is later followed by a combination of two mini cupcakes of Chocolate and Red Velvet. The offer is open from 12pm-3pm, Sunday-Thursday, and comes for a price as reasonable as Tk300++.
I decided to go for an Italian Classic: Spaghetti n' Meatballs. The menu describes it as "thin pasta, beef meatballs with Italian herbs in tomato sauce." I'd like to mention that George's La Dolce Vita makes their pasta from scratch, and also, cook the sauce in house, while all the ingredients are imported.
Their serving time was about 20 minutes but it was totally worth the wait. As soon as the pasta was placed in front of me, the aroma of the Italian herbs that the menu promised filled my lungs. The amount of pasta served was generous and looked appetising.
The meatballs were cut up and this is not something I came across before, but I must say it was rather convenient. I loved this dish. The perfect balance monotonously iterated every bite. The sauce had the ideal tanginess. It was, however, a little runny and did splatter a little while eating. Also, the pasta was served on a plate instead of a bowl. But other than this, I have no complaints.
I decided to have some iced tea with my hearty meal. While most iced teas in the city have a lemony accomplice, George's La Dolce Vita's has a hint of ginger accompanying it. It's a refreshing change and would be to die for on a hot, summer day.
When I had it at first I did find the sweetness to be a little sharper than what I usually like, but it went perfectly with the tangy sauce of my pasta. I don't think any other drink would have complemented this meal better.
The end of my wholesome meal was met with the dessert being served. The mini cupcakes are the perfect size and you wouldn't want to waste a second before digging in. The red velvet was perfection - so moist that it melts in your mouth. I'd like a little more cream cheese topping though because you can't ever have enough of it. I found the chocolate mini cupcake to be a little dry but the red velvet really does make up for it.
I reached George's La Dolce Vita around a quarter past 12pm and I was the first one there. But by the time I started to eat, it filled up. From the looks of it most of the guests there are regular customers and I can totally understand why they love going there.
If you are looking for authentic Italian food, Nizam Chowdhury has partnered up with George to give you exactly that. Do pay George's La Dolce Vita a visit and I promise you will want to go back again, and again.
By Maaesha Nuzhat Nazmul
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