Da Eros— Relaxed ambience, good food

By The Standard | Mar. 10, 2013

A Trattoria is “an informal restaurant or tavern serving simple Italian dishes”, a description which fully fits Da Eros in Belgravia, quite a haven for several of the garden-style restaurants now populating Harare’s northern suburbs.

By le connoisseur

This is an excellent choice for those seeking good, simple Italian fare in a relaxed family style environment at reasonable price. Da Eros follows the tried and tested model of providing tasteful stylised décor with healthy doses of earth tones and pastels, with tables covered in red and white checked cloths, reminiscent of eateries in Northern Italy. Diners can choose to sit inside, on the veranda or under strings of lights in the garden.

This restaurant offers a full range of dining experiences simultaneously. Those seeking to hide away or just avoid the curious glances of fellow diners can find comfort in the main dining room, whereas groups, families or those who prefer al fresco dining can enjoy the veranda or sit under the trees outside. Both the owner and staff were friendly and attentive. We were greeted with smiles and quickly shown to our table. Drinks were offered and promptly served. Shortly thereafter, menus and a basket of bread appeared. I was looking forward to the homemade artisan bread fresh from the oven and found the offering a little disappointing — not as fresh as hoped.

The menu at Da Eros is extensive and offers diners a wide range of Italian favourites. The antipasti starter menu has a balanced selection of meats, seafood and vegetarian dishes. We ordered the antipasto mistro, a delightful platter of thinly sliced imported salami and parma ham, sure to please any meat-lover and definitely ample enough to share with up to three. Served with a garnish of bread sticks, artichoke hearts and olives, it was pleasingly presented. The antipasto is accompanied by a simple, fresh side salad, of iceberg lettuce, cucumber and tomato; I often wish restaurants would use more exciting ingredients in salads, there are more than enough options available. As a second appetiser, we ordered the calamari fritti — deep fried calamari rings on lettuce. This seafood dish was in the best tradition of its native land, a generous number of lightly breaded rings sautéed in olive oil, a revelation, with the calamari well-presented and flavourful (though the salad garnish, the ubiquitous iceberg again).

Da Eros offers all the classics and favourite pizzas one would expect of an Italian restaurant, although the Hawaiian nestles between the authentic regina — tomato, ham, cheese and mushroom, and the quattro stagioni. My personal favourite pizza, the sicilliana with anchovies and olives caught my attention and my decision was made, though I did take time to survey the ample pasta and pietanze “mains” selections for culinary treats that could tempt me from my chosen pizza.

I spied selections of linguines and pennes in both cream and red sauces, three spaghetti dishes and ravioli. The pietanze menu had choices from each meat category — but sicillana it had to be! My partner opted for the penne alfredo — absolutely delicious. We could taste all the flavours and were delighted by ham and mushrooms morsels as we worked through the al dente penne and creamy sauce.

Da Eros has an adequate selection of reasonable priced quality wines. Both food and wine came quickly and I was delighted with my choice. The pizza was obviously hand prepared and oven baked with just the right proportion of ingredients so that every bite was a symphony of flavours. The generous size of all dishes barely left room for dessert. Fortunately, depending on the size of your appetite, the dessert offering is small, comprising Italian favourites tiramisu and panna cotta, and the obligatory ice-cream with chocolate sauce or brownies. Da Eros provided an enjoyable evening and is a wise choice for anyone seeking a casual dining experience, with relaxed ambience and good food, at a reasonable price.