Al Dente, Auckland central

The pasta brought back memories of a brief affair in the '80s.

When a restaurant lures you back twice in a fortnight it is a sign they're doing something right. And in the case of Al Dente, a new Italian eatery at the Viaduct, they're doing plenty — especially to drive down prices in this part of town.

Which is not to say Al Dente is perfect. Some dishes are fantastic, others so-so. The service, by hunky waiters with Italian accents, can be haphazard; the menu is as large as a book, but devoid of vegetable accompaniments.

Last time our meals took a while — though admittedly we were then part of a party of 14 — so this time we decided to order then settle down to wait with some ciabatta and garlic bread ($4 each), a glass of Wither Hills chardonnay for me and a Sicilian Canaletto Nero for Brian.

I'd remembered the bread, which is baked on the spot, from the week before and it was just as memorable the second time round. The ciabatta is a good half loaf, served in the chunk on a board; the garlic bread is sliced, softer and not too buttery.

Both the bread and our wine arrived first, as we'd planned it, followed reasonably swiftly by our rocket salad ($8) and baked mussels ($10).

The salad was fine — there's not much you can muck up with rocket, tomato and olives, and the mussels in the shell were artfully presented. But Brian found them low on flavour, despite their paddling pool of tomato and garlic and grating of Parmesan on top.

After a small prod in the right direction our charming waiter — fresh from Verona — brought our main courses. I'd had no trouble choosing. Last time the men of the group had ordered the Sicilian Fettucine with Italian sausage and mushrooms ($14) and enjoyed it far too much to share.

It was my lucky night. It turned out to be quite simply the best pasta dish I've ever eaten. The sauce was tomato and garlic with great chunks of delicious sausage. And yes, the fettucine was cooked exactly al dente and tasted homemade — I once had a brief love affair with a pasta making machine in the '80s.

Brian's Seafood Pizza — at $10, the same price as his entree — was less of a success. Although the topping was OK and supremely Italian in its simplicity, he found the base disappointing: more like batter than bread.

To cheer him up we finished with a glass each of Moscato di Trani, plus tiramisu for him and gelato for me (both $9). The wine was superb, served cold, Italian style, sweet yet crisp, and came in big, aroma-releasing glasses.

Overall, it was a dinner of two halves. My half was superb, Brian's less so. On the other hand, Al Dente is cheap and cheerful and the atmosphere and fellow guests upbeat and interesting.

Shame about the bizarre decor which matches glittering chandeliers and ornate curtains with exposed ventilation pipes and raw concrete. Let's call it barocco meets neo-brutalism. 

WHERE: Al Dente, 104 Customs St West, Viaduct Harbour 362-0808
OUR MEAL: $106, for entrees, main courses and desserts, plus bread
OUR WINES: By the glass $8.50-$9.