THE newly renovated Carpaccio Ristorante Italiano returns to the dining scene to showcase a bigger, brighter and better-tasting Italian menu there is in the city.

From what it was when it started in 1996—small, dark, intimate and a bit mysterious—to a more polished, lively and up-to-date design, Carpaccio aims to deliver genuine Italian experience to every table.

“We’ve upgraded Carpaccio to what a real Italian dining is now in Italy,” says Andreas Rieder, assistant general manager. “If you go to Milan or Rome, you won’t see any dark and cramp restaurants anymore. Times have changed. So, if you have lunch or dinner in Carpaccio it’s like you’re having lunch and dinner in Italy.”

Cool interiors with bright lights—and more sunlight coming in during lunchtime through the large glass walls—and dining areas with plush and luxurious leather seat upholstered in beige set off by dark wooden tables and fine set dinnerware from Italy mark the new Carpaccio dining.

The lights are dimmed toward the evening to give way to a more intimate candlelit dinner, complemented by Andrea Bocelli’s ditties.

“You can’t recognize the restaurant at night because it’s very romantic. The mood changes altogether,” states Rieder.

At lunch, the tables are set with table runners in different hues for a very business-like look; dinnertime, white tablecloths replace the runners matched with mini floral glass vases. The entire room, including the function room, veranda, smoking and nonsmoking areas, can seat about 120 people.

The open kitchen stimulates guests’ appetite and ensures clean and freshly served food.

The new look, with the help of interior designer Tessa Prieto-Valdes, also gives emphasis to the central bar where some of Werner Berger’s finest wine selections are displayed.

Carpaccio prides itself with a sophisticated wine list—to match all its food offerings. Wine selection includes an excellent range of Italian wines from the seven famous regions of Piemonte, Veneto, Sicilia, Marche, Abruzzo and Campania. Also part of the wine lists are bestsellers from other major wine-producing countries such as France, Spain, Australia, Chile, South Africa and New Zealand. Definitely the best value wines one can find among the many fine dining restaurants in town.

Italian delights

With the new look comes Carpaccio’s new set of menu. Rieder, however, assures loyal patrons that classic favorites have been kept in the new menu.

Carpaccio’s all-time favorite appetizers are still in: Carpaccio alla Cipriani (traditional beef carpaccio served with extra-virgin olive oil, freshly ground black pepper and fresh parmesan shavings); Carpaccio Piemontese (beef carpaccio with extra-virgin olive oil and parmesan shavings served with forest mushroom and porcini salad); and Carpaccio di Salmone e Branzino alla Marinara (salmon and seabass topped with tomatoes, garlic, basil, capers and onion in olive oil).

In terms of pizza and main dishes, Carpaccio retains their classic Pizza Diavola (tomato, spicy salami, onions, garlic, chili, Italian olives and oregano) and crispy Pizza Emilio (pizza-style sandwich filled with Tuna, shredded iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise).

Teasing the palate for the new concoctions include the Risotto Stile Liguria (seafood risotto with prawns, mussels, squid, scallops, salmon fillet flavored with tomatoes) and Risotto ai Porcini e Dadolata di Pollo (saffron risotto with funghi porcini, grilled diced chicken breast and tomatoes sprinkled with parmesan cheese).

The homemade pastas also promise to bring a filling sensation, including the Ravioli con Ricotta e Spinaci (Pasta squares filled with spinach and ricotta and served with sage butter and grated parmesan cheese) and Ravioli alla Panna (meat filled pasta served with a parmesan cream sauce).

The new and old desserts will always be a tempting come-on for the restaurant: Tiramisu (world-famous creation of mascarpone, Savoiardi coffee, amaretto and coffee liqueur); Cioccolato-Banana Mousse (light chocolate mousse timbale with banana); and Zabaione (a smooth and frothy Italian delight made of egg yolk, sugar and marsala flavored with cinnamon, served on homemade vanilla gelati and Savoiardi).

Carpaccio Ristorante Italiano (tels. 843-7286 and or 8673164) is at 2/F, Werner Berger Bldg., 7431 Yakal St., San Antonio Village, Makati (right beside Santi’s Delicatessen). Open Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 pm., and 6 p.m.-11 p.m.