Profiled by de Groots MediaSapore (meaning “taste”) is one restaurant that’s easy to find in the Italian Forum. It’s directly behind the fountain in which a statue of Italian poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti bubbles merrily away day and night. It is so closely attached to the neighbouring Cafe la Vigna that the wheelchair and pram friendly outdoor seating merges into one area with two colour schemes, but Sapore seems to be the older sibling of the Siamese twins. It’s larger, busier, more restaurant and less cafe. Still, it’s nothing too fancy with bare topped tables and plastic pastel chairs. Decor is limited to a smattering of black and white prints and a gilded cherub suspended from the ceiling looking prettily pointless.
The forum restaurant menus can get a little monotonous, so turn your attention to the blackboard specials. At the time of my visit they included blue swimmer crab in a light pomodoro sauce flavoured with garlic, ginger, chilli and coriander; and milk fed veal scallopine layered with mash, vegetables, grilled king prawns and scampi. The a la carte covers all expectations with a large choice of pastas. Coupled with a kid’s menu and BYO, Sapore is an acceptable choice for a family meal.
Sarah Theeboom