Article and Photos by HELEN ONG

Situated just along the main Batu Ferringhi tourist drag, Mario’s is an elegant but friendly restaurant which serves good, as its name would imply, Italian food.

It’s popular with both locals and tourists: there’s alfresco seating outside where the busy traffic whizzes by, but step inside and the ambience, complete with grape-vines and wood-fired pizza oven to one side, is authentic and perfectly recreated; you could be in a taverna somewhere in Genoa or Rome. The mingled aromas of garlic, thyme and oregano, with an underlying hint of creamy cheese, will get your taste buds going in anticipation.

Starters consist of bruschettas and soups served in home-made sourdough bread bowls – try their creamy Clam Chowder, although the Mushroom and Minestrone aren’t bad either.

Apart from steaks, chops and other popular international dishes, there are also Risottos, Mussels, and crispy hand-tossed pizzas with a range of toppings, cooked in aforementioned oven which was specially built for them.

The pasta section is not particularly big, but lists popular dishes like Spaghetti al Pesto, Penne Arrabbiata and of course the ever-popular Spaghetti Bolognese. However, my personal favourite is their Linguini Alio Olio with Tiger Prawns, specially ordered for them – tossed in lots of chopped fresh garlic, extra-virgin olive oil and a bit of sliced chilli to spice things up; it’s really quite delicious.

There’s a good selection of wines to go with the food, and although desserts are limited to home-made Tiramisu and a Chilled Lemon Cheesecake, the latter is tart and delectable.

Mario’s starts serving at 8.30am for breakfast, so if you fancy pasta then, it’s available, but you may care to order their “Works Brekky”, with eggs, mushrooms, sausages and crispy bacon. The good news it’s available until 5pm! If you prefer something a bit lighter during the day, then there is a good range of classic sandwiches or salads (the “Pomodori” Tomato & Basil is colourful and refreshing) available.

For those who can’t live without their local fare, there’s Char Kuey Teow or Beef Rendang, amongst other popular Penang delights.

Mario’s is open from 8.30am to 11.30pm daily, and reservation is recommended for groups of more than 4 pax.