Golden Spoons Review: Andiamo

(CNS Foodie): I had been meaning to try out Andiamo at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman for a while but was put off by my one encounter with the restaurant which left me with the impression that it was an upmarket café. So, it was with some reservations that my friend and I decided to go there for a mid-week dinner.

Since it is an outdoor restaurant by a canal, we both liberally covered ourselves in mosquito repellent and wore long sleeves. On arrival, I was stunned to see that the whole restaurant area was not only enclosed in mosquito netting, but it also looked lovely. The candleholders and water glasses were my favourite shade of blue, which throughout the restaurant gave the suggestion of being underwater.

We were shown to a table overlooking the canal and towards the bridge on Esterley Tibbetts Highway, which I have to say was very well-disguised with trees and foliage, although we could still hear the traffic from time to time.

On to the menu, which is Italian with a good choice of meals but not overwhelming. After some deliberation we decided to share a small plate of tomato bruschetta ($10) and some truffle fries ($10) followed by gnocchi al funghi ($20) and prosciutto Gorgonzola pizza ($20), which were both towards the cheaper end of the menu (the average being about $25 for a main course).

The drinks were quite expensive, we thought, and we eventually decided on a glass of 2016 Malbec Bodegas ‘Aruma’ Mendoza (Argentina) ($15/glass) and De Chanceny Cremant de Loire ‘Method Traditionelle’ (French sparkling white – definitely not Italian ‘Prosecco’ as described on the wine menu) ($13/glass). The Malbec was smooth and fruity and the De Chanceny was crisp and fruity, both very good, but our budget extended to only one glass each.

The service was good – it is The Ritz after all — and we did not have long to wait until our bruschetta and fries arrived. The bruschetta tasted as good as it looked – garlic toast, basil pesto and fresh tomatoes with a wonderful creamy burrata cheese – the taste was fresh and creamy with the toast adding a crunchy counterpoint. The fries, served in a large metal cone with an attached dish of aioli, were likewise delicious – very light and crispy with a lovely earthy truffle flavour – but we were unable to finish the portion, saving ourselves for the main courses.

The gnocchi were lovely little puffs of potato in a very rich sautéed porcini mix mushroom, crumbled Applewood bacon and pecorino cheese. They tasted rich and satisfying but probably, in hindsight, would have been better with a salad to offset the richness, possibly arugula fruit salad with white balsamic dressing ($10).

The pizza was an impressive size and we were glad to note that pizza boxes were being provided to other diners. Again, this was another rich-tasting dish but also delicious; the pizza base was crusty and soft at the same time, and the toppings were neither too much nor too little – just right.  The Gorgonzola cream base was topped with mozzarella cheese, onion jam and red onion, covered with a generous portion of prosciutto for each slice.  My friend managed three slices and made sure to take the rest home.

We then proceeded to discuss the desserts and, as tempting as they looked, we didn’t feel we could even eat one between us. The waitress very helpfully suggested that we could make our own dessert if we went to the gelato window. I despatched my friend to investigate and eventually she returned with a small version of the ‘Everything But’ Coppa, which consisted of banana rocky road gelato, Oreo gelato, salted caramel sauce, hot fudge, marshmallows, candied almonds, whipped cream and chocolate shavings – wow! Although full, we finished this wonderfully creamy, crunchy and squidgy concoction with no problems. We especially liked the banana gelato, which tasted of real banana, and candied almonds, which were crunchy and sweet.

All in all, it was a great meal, if slightly spoilt by the richness, but I take responsibility for that because I should have ordered a salad. The restaurant was reasonably busy so there was little bit of a buzz but not overwhelming. We were able to hold a conversation without straining to hear each other. There was also no need to dress up if you didn’t want to; it proved a comfortable middle ground between a more upmarket restaurant and casual beach bar at a reasonable price. I was impressed and will definitely be returning.

The total bill was $114.66, including 17% gratuity.

Andiamo webpage

Tags: Andiamo, Italian food, Seven Mile Beach, Waterfront dining

Category: Dinner, Golden Spoons Review