Gustoso

Restaurants often find back their mojo after going through rebranding and rises from the ashes the way a phoenix does. There are several cases where a good facelift has done wonders for an eatery, giving the restaurant that much needed boost prior to some creative tweaking. Even the most popular chain of restaurants are going through the tweaking phase, coming back even stronger than before to revel in the accolades. Mumbai’s answer to budget-friendly Italian dining, ‘Gustoso’ of Kemps Corner at August Kranti Marg is one of the prime examples of how wonderfully rebranding fares out most of the time. Gustoso is a very popular chain of restaurants that are known for their quaint setting and an array of mouth-watering wood fired oven pizzas that puts even five star eateries to shame.

The menu of Gustoso is a likeable one, doing fabulously for the crowd who are crazy for their pizzas. Being a pizza connoisseur ourselves we find Gustoso’s wood fired oven pizzas to be top quality. Vegetarians need not fear as they are well looked after. The menu is hand-crafted by Chef Giulio Adriani who lends his creative expertise to take the menu to the next level. Sit in their outdoor area and relax over a bottle of wine. First course or as the Italians call it ‘antipasti’ features, arancini, crostini burrata, bruschetta, mozzarella caprese, tortelloni in brodo, pane pizza, involtini di pollo, bufala e prosciutto and parmigiana di melanzane. Although the entire menu is a wonderful compilation of dishes, pay special attention to the pizzas as they are the star of the menu. Marinara, Quattro formaggi, pesto e pollo, stella and prosciutto di parma are one of their best.

Italians are renowned for their desserts and at Gustoso it’s no exception. Fall in love with the classics again such as, tiramisu, panna cotta, torta caprese, mousse al cioccolato, pizza alla Nutella and zeppole. Gustoso is not exactly cheap but its lovely interiors more than makes up for it. A charming firangipani flanked façade opens into a long dimly lit room, fitted with sturdy wooden tables and lightweight chairs. Colourful murals on the wall depicting life at Italian piazza instantly catches your eye. The best place to sit however is outdoors next to the lush potted plants. The ambience at Gustoso is casual, charming, tranquil and easy to love.