20 Williamson Avenue,
Grey Lynn
Auckland,
1021

(09) 360 0263

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Gina’s Pizza & Pasta Bar has been enlivening Upper Symonds St with a combination of Italian flavours, raucous good times, and the occasional bit of Mediterranean theatre for several years now, but I’ve always found their ‘You will have a good time’ mandate delivered in an Italian accent just a tad forced. It’s also one of Auckland’s noisiest restaurants, so diners sometimes get a side order of headache as well. Lots of fun for a special occasion maybe, but Gina’s is still a restaurant where the food seems of secondary importance to the experience. Maybe a new opening with some of the history of Gina’s can get the balance right between food and fun.

Nestled in a heritage villa just off Ponsonby Rd, the welcome at the newly opened Pane e Vino is authentically Italian from the authentically Italian Tito. He’s just spent four years at Gina’s, and although Eduardo the chef – also ex-Gina’s - is Brazilian, apparently his rellies were from Italy as well. But despite the pair’s shared recent history, and an almost over-enthusiastic welcome from front man Tito, there’s none of the orchestrated faux good times of Gina’s on display.

Instead the experience at Pane e Vino is quite humble and homely, and a bit like having a meal at a mate’s place. That’s if your mate was a wisecracking Italian called Tito. It’s a good match for the simple homestyle food, less sophisticated than at nearby Prego, but obviously very popular with a steady stream of regulars. The pizza and red wine combination on a nearby table looks pretty good, but I decide to be slightly more adventurous. Off the specials menu I order a starter of Lardo di Colonnata, basically a Pork Fat salad. It’s tastier than it sounds with the thinly sliced lardo – a specialty of Tuscan cuisine – nestled in zingy rocket leaves.

For our mains Carol is a little less adventurous, but her Spaghetti Bolognese is warm and comforting, and we wished we’d popped next door to buy a bottle of red wine. My Mezzelune al Pollo, delicate chicken ravioli parcels in a cream sauce, are equally rustic and tasty, and just the thing to ward off Auckland’s winter chill outside.

So far, Pane e Vino is keeping the balance right between good times and good food. A return visit for the well-priced pizza ($17) is definitely on the cards, and next time we'll definitely bring along our own wine. Let’s just hope they don’t become another Gina’s.