Great Pasta and Pizza

Papa Mio 24, Tswen Chung Street Phone: (04) 2376-8434 Hours: 11:30 am-10 pm (closed Mon.)

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by Douglas Habecker

Tanyi Li, the owner of Papa Mio Italian Restaurant, understands and loves not only Italian cuisine but also the rich cultural heritage that stands behind it. When visiting Italy, one of her favorite pastimes is stopping into the small family-run eateries along alleys and lanes, far away from the tourist herds, in various cities and towns. There, she samples unique house specialties in addition to the pleasant ambiance.
Such a philosophy of dining should help instill confidence among diners venturing to Papa Mio, which was opened by Li a little over a year ago. The restaurant is the latest development in her impressive, 17-year kitchen career, which has included years at Taipei's Grand Hyatt Hotel, three years at Taichung's Evergreen Laurel Hotel and a partnership in another similar-sounding local establishment, Papa Mia. Although Li was originally a partner in that venture, Papa Mio is now completely independent of Papa Mia, with the respective owners remaining friends.
One of the first impressions on diners at Papa Mio is the uniquely-attractive ambiance, provided by a villa-like two-floor building with high ceilings, tall windows and brick-tiled floors. The restaurant faces a pleasant, grassy parkway which also provides plenty of parking. The nice setting goes well with the beautifully-presented food, served on colorful, rustic-looking dishware.
A frequently-given compliment from customers is the fact that they walk away from Papa Mio's hearty portions feeling comfortably full. Li notes that the portions are big enough that some daintier female diners prefer making a meal out of the popular appetizers, primarily the Grilled Chicken Breast with Fresh Spinach and Bacon in warm basamico sauce (NT$460), the Caesar Salad (NT$280) and the Smoked Salmon with Capers and Romaine (NT$280).
It is the pizzas and pastas that many, if not most, customers come for, though. Personal favorites of this writer include the Squid-Ink Spaghetti with Seafood and Vegetables in Spicy Tomato Sauce (NT$300), and very healthy Pasta with Five Colors Vegetables in Spicy Tomato Sauce (NT$210). Li stresses the thickness of her delicious tomato sauce, which goes well with almost anything. Other just-as-good sauces are also available, like the Pasta with Basil Pesto and Linguine with Clams in Mushroom Cream Sauce.
Diners shouldn't miss trying Papa Mio's home-made pumpkin, spinach and squid-ink fettuccine and potato gnocchi. There are also a couple types of lasagna. Other specials include the popular chef's specials, on the inside front cover, such as Deep Fried Chicken Wing with Spicy Tomato Sauce (NT$250), and the big main course meals on the first page, like the Grilled US Beef Tenderloin with Herb Butter and Gravy (NT$720) or Grilled Rib-Eye with Garlic and Gravy (NT$600), which all come with appetizer, bread, soup, dessert and coffee or tea.
Last but not least are the excellent pizzas, which all feature a great thin-crust dough, with toppings like the Sun-dried Tomato and Gorgonzola (NT$250 for eight-inch/NT$430 for 12-inch) or Olive, Mushroom, Pepperoni and Salami. Li says that customers, particularly foreign ones, are welcome to ask for customized dishes, noting that local diners, too, have come a long way in developing their knowledge and appreciation of Italian cuisine.
Desserts include homemade Cheese Cake and Tiramisu, which go well with the Papa Mio's great Italian Illy-brand coffees, made with a quality Italian coffee machine. The owner notes that Italian customers frequently ask for grappa, which is NT$250 per cup.
In the next month or so, Li plans to take another extended journey to Europe which will include more time in her beloved Italy. This will no doubt be to the benefit of Papa Mio's customers, who can look forward to even more Italian culinary delights in the future.

Getting there: Go south on either Chung Ming South Road or Meitsun Road and respectively turn left or right at the last traffic light before the Wuchuan West Road intersection. The restaurant is closer to the Meitsun Rd. side.)

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