Singing praises

If I had a crown for every time I've walked past Una Bella Canzone, dismissing it as just another pizzeria, I'd have a lot of beer tokens by now. People buzz in and out of the door with takeaway pizza boxes, and what I could see of the inside looked more like a holding station than an actual restaurant. But there's much more than pizza to this Dejvice corner joint, whose name means "A Beautiful Song" in Italian, although its pies are exceptionally good.

The small room is intimate, framed by windows twinkling with Christmas lights. Several tables vie for space among wine fridges. More wine bottles line the bar, and indeed, Canzone has a solid selection of Italian wines accessible to most budgets. Over two visits, I greatly enjoyed the Chianti from Cecchi (at 330 Kč) as well as a glass of Italian Chardonnay (29 Kč per 1 dl).  

The atmosphere is engaging, with tea lights flickering off the white tablecloths to the background of Italian mandolin music. The freshness and quality of Canzone's food - the restaurant imports many ingredients - cause an emotional reaction of sorts. The cooking is skilled, taking a menu of staple pastas, pizzas, meat and fish and elevating it to the remarkable. By the time our primo course came, my friend and I were lost in reminisces of trips to Italy. By the time we tucked into our mains, we were making fast plans for our next.

Our waiters were friendly and professional, taking time to list off the day's specials and the seafood on offer. I wanted to try everything, and have vowed to go back to taste some things I missed, like the starter of mussels (129 Kč), the salads, the risotto, the calamari, the steaks, all the other pizzas...

I did try my best, though, and, armed with a lustful appetite, I ordered Italian-style, with a primo, or first, course of pasta, followed by the secondo of meat or fish. First I ordered the fettuccine with chicken, spinach, ricotta and sun-dried tomatoes. The ricotta formed a light sauce in which the al dente noodles truly shined through - a reminder that pasta is a key ingredient in a harmony of flavors and not just a vehicle for sauce. The tomatoes tasted home-prepared: unsalty and lacking the rubbery consistency of many jarred varieties.

Another fettuccine dish, with frutti del mare, was a crescendo of the kitchen's abilities. It came wrapped in baking paper, steaming the octopus, mussels and shrimp. Opening the package released warm, fragrant air, tangy with the aroma of the sea. The pasta was tossed in olive oil with pepper and oregano, confidently putting forward the freshness of the seafood. Another pasta, the spaghetti, also succeeded in such simplicity. Muddled with garlic and chili oil, the noodles and shrimp were simply delicious.

While prices of many dishes veer above 250 Kč, there are quite a few, including all the pasta, well below 200 Kč. The portions, too, are big enough to make a respectable meal out of a single course, but it's hard to get enough of Canzone's food.

After ordering the sea bass, I was relieved the server expertly and quickly deboned and beheaded the whole fish at the table, considerately facing it the other way so as to prevent me having to make awkward dead-eye contact with my dinner. Those eyes were remarkably clear, though - a sign of freshness.

Pork tenderloin was perfectly tender, pink on the outside and dusted with pepper. Sprigs of rosemary infused the plate and the accompanying roast potatoes, which were memorable for their crispy skins, and were included in the price; several other mains required a side order.

But still, I was curious about the pizza. I sampled the margherita (my favorite test of a pizzeria) and was more than satisfied. It was on par with the best pizza joints in town. Circles of mozzarella dotted the sweet sauce amid leaves of fresh basil. The slices, held together by alternately crispy and chewy dough, were easy to pick up without being sloppy or too dry.

Un Bella Canzone's neighborhood is home to several other stellar Italian restaurants, such as Da Emanuel and Mirellie. There is plenty of room for all of them, because the only thing better than listening to a beautiful song is having a choice of beautiful songs to choose from.

Fiona Gaze can be reached at
fgaze@praguepost.com