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RESTAURANTS : Trattoria Pizzeria Sabatini Taipei

Trattoria Pizzeria Sabatini Taipei ADDRESS: 11F, 300, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路三段300號11樓,太平洋SOGO百貨復興館) TELEPHONE: (02) 8772-1237 OPEN: 11am to 10pm AVERAGE MEAL: NT$600 to NT$900 DETAILS: Chinese and English menus ON THE NET: www.sabatini.co.jp; www.sogo.com.tw

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At Sabatini, it’s the details that win you over. The food at this mid-priced Italian eatery — a Japanese-owned venture located on the 11th floor of the Sogo Department Store’s branch at Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station — is impressive for the care given to its preparation and presentation. With a classy but relaxed atmosphere, the restaurant makes for a nice escape from hurried shoppers and heavy traffic.

The interior looks as if it were transported directly from Italy. On entering, you’ll pass through a small arched corridor with stacks of firewood at the side that leads into a spacious dining room with tiled wooden floors. Chandeliers dangle from high ceilings and give off a warm glow. Framed black-and-white photos are hung around the room, with some tilting slightly, as if this were someone’s home.

Our meal started with fresh bread and the mixed salad greens (NT$280), which were full of pleasing and surprising touches: slices of tangerine and grapefruit offset the bitterness of the thin, curly lettuce sprigs and olive slices, while chopped walnuts added a nice texture.

With the pizza, however, Sabatini tried a little too hard. We were underwhelmed by the margherita (NT$340), which looked perfect but lacked substance. The crust was cooked well, but was just a little too thin, and sadly the pizza fell short on the cheese. Its saving grace was the excellent sauce.

This slight disappointment was balanced by the rigatoni with Gorgonzola sauce (NT$390). The creaminess of this pasta dish, which came with broccoli and chunks of potato, brought the dinner to a satisfying crescendo. Here the restaurant also scored points for flexibility: the dish is only listed as part of the set menu special, which we didn’t order, but the kitchen let us order it anyway with little fuss.

As the time passed we only felt more comfortable with the setting. The tables are spread far apart enough to hear neighboring diners but not be distracted by them.

At the kitchen area you can see chefs working the pizza ovens. In front of the kitchen bar sits a large countertop bar with wines and plates on top, and a glass shelf underneath full of pies and cakes.

One look at the desserts and we knew we would be staying. The pear tart (NT$180), made with imported Western pears, was sumptuous; the tiramisu (also NT$180) was as authentic as you’ll find in Taipei. It was made with a generous serving of rum, and refreshingly, comes as a large, almost messy, slab instead of a neatly cut portion.

Although some coffee purists may cry blasphemy, the espresso (NT$90) comes with a tiny slice of lemon rind, which takes the edge off the drink’s bitterness.

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