The Italian charm

Hidden away from the limelight and located in a corner of KR Road, Jayanagar, is Ragoo’s, an Italian joint serving pizza, pasta and rice. One would easily miss this inconspicuous 16-year-old eatery, that claims to be Bengaluru’s first vegetarian pizza centre. However, do not let its drab interiors mislead you. Let the aromas and authentic flavours do the talking.

Although they do have salads and soup, it’s best to start with the appetizers. The ‘Garlic Bread Supreme’, well-toasted and topped with corn, olives and onion, is a great option. The ‘Bell Pepper Cheese Roll’ does good to whet the appetite. One can also sample the ‘Grilled Vegetables Indian’, with roasted broccoli, zucchini and bell pepper sauteed in spices.

There is a lovely variety of thick and thin crust pizzas, prepared from scratch. The ‘Indiana Passion’ is an old favourite, informs the chef. Moderately spicy, with cubes of marinated paneer and a hint of spinach and green chillies, it lives up to its name. Try the ‘Pili Pili’, with a dash of jalapenos, if you’re looking for something hot. For those who can’t do without mushroom on their pizza, the ‘Four Season’ fits the bill. The pizzas are definitely great but a tad pricy.

One can pick from an elaborate list of pastas but the ‘Penne Puttanesca’, doused in rich tomato sauce and generously sprinkled with herbs, is well-recommended here. The ‘lasagne’ comes with a mixed sauce stuffing, topped with white sauce and baked with cheese. If one is lucky, they can devour some delicious ‘ravioli with cream’, that’s normally prepared on weekends. The chef is happy to customise the sauce as per preference.

The popular rice dishes include the spicy ‘Mexican Rice’, ‘Spinach Spice Rice’ and the lightly flavoured ‘Risi Bisi’. The drinks and dessert menu is sparse.  Vikram Jain, a regular, says, “I have been savouring their good quality vegetarian food for the last five years. My personal favourite is the ‘Pili Pili’ pizza.”

Started by Sridhar Raj Urs, a real estate professional passionate about Italian cuisine, it has two more outlets coming up in Chikkalasandra and JP Nagar, shares manager Kingsly Rose.

Open from 10.30 am to 10.30 pm, Ragoo’s is located on No.16, 5th B Main, KR Road, Jayanagar. For details, contact 8762191222.