Panna cotta with the perfect wobble at Aroma Caffe.

DURING the last few weeks, it has been difficult to think about anything other than cricket and tennis.

Hopes ran high for Zimbabwe at the opening qualifying match for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India 2023, and an ecstatic crowd at Harare Sports Club cheered as our team celebrated a win over Nepal. Ongoing production of popcorn in the kitchen throughout the sports fest was stepped up during the Wimbledon championships, sustenance being needed during the almost five- hour thriller between defending champion Djokovic, and Alcaraz, sixteen years his junior.

Vanilla panna cotta at Aroma Caffe.

But man cannot live on popcorn alone, and George and I recently braved the nose to tail traffic on ED Mnangagwa Road, formerly known as Enterprise Road, and made our way to Aroma Caffe for lunch.

Aroma Caffe moved from Hurworth Road, next door to Queen of Hearts, a few years ago, opening up at 167 ED Mnangagwa Road, in premises previously known as Theo’s Coffees. Re-designed, re-decorated and surrounded by rolling green lawns and mature Jacaranda trees, Caffe Aroma quickly became the go to place for authentic Italian cuisine and excellent coffee.

Italian cuisine, one of the most popular cuisines on the planet, provides comfort food for diners still recovering from a global pandemic.   Chef Marina Picci and her team of highly trained cooks in the kitchen at Aroma Caffe prepare a wide range of favourite Italian dishes, each one sounding more delicious than the next.

After friendly staff directed us to a sunny table for two on the verandah, we spent several minutes reading through the specials chalked up on a blackboard. A starter of ravioli with tomato sauce  sounded enticing, as did butternut soup with ginger and sage. Rabbit dishes are trending, so unless you keep pet rabbits, or have been reading Watership Down, a story about a family of rabbits who seek a new home when their warren is destroyed by humans, you could be tempted by a dish of fresh tagliatelle with rabbit, olives, capers and Parmigiana.

While making decisions, we fortified ourselves with a small, but ambrosial dish of guacamole, and freshly-baked focaccia.

Italian antipasto for two proved to be the ultimate way to start a feast of Italian delicacies, and a dish worth returning to Aroma Caffe time and again. A selection of Italian meats, beautifully presented on a wooden platter, included thinly sliced prosciutto and deliciously oily slices of salami. Crispy fried mozzarella balls, pickled mushrooms, marinated aubergines, artisanal caciotta cheese, cherry tomatoes and slices of fresh baguette created a perfect mix of salty, savoury and sweet.

Lasagne and Cabernet Sauvignon 2020.

A bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon (Ou Kalant) 2020 from MAN Family Wines in Stellenbosch, full bodied and smooth, paired well with the starter.

Italian antipasto at Aroma Caffe

Calamarata, a traditional Neapolitan pasta, named for its resemblance to calamari rings, was made with baby calamari and prawns simmered in a tomato sauce with garlic and herbs. A topping of pangrattato (crispy breadcrumbs baked in olive oil) with a hint of chilli made this a delicious dish.

Traditional lasagne, made with stacked layers of pasta with ragu (slow-braised ground beef and tomato sauce) and a cheesy béchamel sauce, was unctuously satisfying. We ordered both these dishes on arrival, as our waiter advised that that being so popular, they were likely to sell out quickly.

Dolci della casa (desserts) included a variety of cakes, but the star of the desserts was a vanilla panna cotta served with a fruit coulis and garnished with a fresh strawberry. The texture was silky, creamy and melt in the mouth. It also had the perfect wobble of a well made panna cotta, rather than being rubbery or bouncy.

Espresso macchiato made from Illy coffee beans was hot, rich and flavourful, and Italian hot chocolate, served in a tall glass mug, could have been a meal in itself.

There are a few weeks to go before the start of the Premier League football season, and the firing up once again of the popcorn factory in the kitchen. In between fixtures, why not enjoy a perfect meal in a favourite restaurant, and make eating out an art form.  By Charlotte Malakoff

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