Pleasant Italian dinner by Liangma River

I stumbled upon Fiume after my initial plan to dine at Mercante fell through. Mercante had some glowing reviews, but alas, it had closed down. Browsing the company's website, I stumbled upon Fiume and thought, why not give it a shot? Fiume, which means "river" in Italian, is nestled by the Liangma river, and the location adds to its charm. The restaurant boasts a lovely and romantic outdoor patio right by the water. I arrived around 9 pm on a Friday night in September, and all the alfresco seats were occupied. So, I opted for the indoor seating on the second floor. The interior décor is elegant and impressively detailed; a pleasant surprise that exudes a true Italian ambiance. The menu here is cleverly designed and reasonably priced, and the wine list is thoughtfully curated. I kicked off my meal with an octopus salad. While the octopus was tender, there seemed to be an imbalance with the potatoes, making it more of a potato salad with a few octopus pieces. It still tasted good, though. Next, I ordered the fettuccine bolognese. The pasta was perfectly cooked, and the ragù had a nice flavor, but the dish leaned towards the dry side. The highlight of the evening was the wine: a 2017 Mastroberardino Radici, Taurasi DOCG. It added a delightful sensory note to the meal. Throughout my dining experience, I didn't spot any Italian chefs or managers overseeing operations. It's possible they were on holiday during my visit, and the staff did their best to accommodate guests. I'm willing to give Fiume another shot during my next visit to Beijing. Overall, my evaluation is neutral.#restaurant