It would be difficult to imagine an Italian restaurant with a better atmosphere than Vivace. Twinkling white holiday lights, a cozy outdoor patio with an ivy trellis overhead and walls inside covered with sulking photographs of Sophia Loren and large oil paintings of Italian seascapes. The blend of low lighting and Ole Blue Eyes singing in the background combines for a lovely and inescapably romantic dinner out.
Vivace's bruschetta ($6.75) is the best in Charlottesville, no question. A mini baguette is stuffed with mozzarella cheese and covered in a delicious mixture of chopped tomatoes, onions and parsley and topped off with Romano cheese. Holding the mix together is a spicy paste that includes basil, garlic, olive oil and the surprising but welcome flavor of balsamic vinegar. The appetizer is served cold, which is its one imperfection since bruschetta is toasted and traditionally served at a warm or room temperature. Still, if it were warmer, this would probably melt all of the cheese and make for an even messier appetizer experience.
Another worthwhile starter is the fried calamari ($6.95), served with spicy marinara and pepperocini. All calamari is rather resilient in texture, but the selection at Vivace is particularly chewy because of its heavy breading. The meat itself is very fresh, however, and, compared to most calamari here in central Virginia, very succulent. Vivace's marinara is sweet, but the robust peppers offset the flavor in a subtly interesting manner.
In addition to the established menu, the kitchen offers nightly specials. One such offering, the Grilled Mahi-Mahi ($16.95), is one of the restaurants more popular dishes. Two fresh fillets were seasoned, grilled and served with caponata, an eggplant, pine nuts and olives cooked in a rich olive oil. The fish was underscored with a soft polenta and fresh Romano cheese sprinkled on the edges. The caponata has a very piquant taste, which is certainly delicious but noticeably distinct. If you enjoy the combination of vegetables and spices, you'll love this seafood selection. As an added bonus, the mahi-mahi arrives in a fashionable blue bowl with a sleek design, one of Vivace's most beautiful presentations.
Pollo Parmigiana ($14.50) is a breaded breast of chicken that is baked with Parmesan cheese and tomato sauce. It comes with a side vegetable like stewed green beans or mashed potatoes, or with your choice of side pasta and sauce. It is an acceptable dish with basic presentation, but nothing spectacular. It tastes pretty much like eating pizza on top of chicken, but such is the "parmigiana" way. The warm bread and olive oil served at the table helps to round out the meal. The olive oil is disappointingly bland -- not flavored with spices as it is in some restaurants -- but, thankfully, it is accompanied by shredded sharp cheese.
The three main entree sections at Vivace are pollo(chicken), carne (meat) and pesce(fish). The carne section is focused primarily on veal, and there are parmigiana and osso bucco options. The pesce subheading includes several shrimp dishes as well as fresh seafood and nightly fish specials.
The specialty pastas range from $11.75 to $14.50 and are cheaper than the main entrees. You can choose your pasta shape -- spaghetti, rigatoni, fettuccini or capellini -- and match it with one of the "classic sauces." The long list of flavorful choices includes marinara, Bolognese, aglio (a light olive oil and garlic coating), alfredo, basil pesto, a primavera that is full of vegetables, palpette (served with huge meatballs) or the sausage-oriented saisiccia. The homemade sauces are a far cry from the Ragu on your pantry shelf, but their quality varies significantly. For example, the aglio is almost too subtle to be identified, but it is a good inoffensive option for picky light eaters. Any of these pasta dishes can be paired nicely with an "insalata mista," or to those of us without exotic Italian linguistic backgrounds, a "mixed salad."
In the dessert category, three flavors swirl together in each scoop in the Spumoni ice cream ($3.50). Flavors include delectable chocolate, real cherry (chunks of cherry prove it!) and vanilla with pistachios -- a powerful combination. The other ice cream dessert is Cafe Vivace, a unique and rich gelato flavored with liqueurs and cafe Sambuca. The gelato is rich and creamy, and for icy dessert connoisseurs, huge American tubs of ice cream that proffer quantity over quality pale in comparison. Gelato is more delicate, and the simple fact that the portions are smaller and richer make you appreciate every bite.
Whether inside one of Vivace's utterly diverse, yet equally charming dining rooms, or outside on the veranda in the Spring, the restaurant's enchanting atmosphere easily envelops the diner.
The milieu may occasionally outpace the fare at Vivace, but the kitchen still offers some of Charlottesville's best Italian cuisine. There is no eatery quite like this quaint slice of the Old World elsewhere in town, and Charlottesville dining would not be the same without the contribution of this premier establishment.
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