The location is perfectly situated on the corner of Crescent Avenue and 12th Street with large picturesque windows and blonde-wood décor lend a warm Tuscan farmhouse feel to this quaint Italian bistro. We were greeted by friendly staff and immediately seated in the tradition of true Italian hospitality.
Soon antipasti plates of Meatball al Forno and Tomato & Basil flatbread arrived. The meatballs were large and flavorful and the flatbread while simple was expertly orchestrated. Plates of pasta (primi) followed: Fettuccini Di Mare, Tortellini Fonduta and Shrimp Amalfi an Italian riff on the Southern favorite shrimp and grits.
A course of insalata came next with a classic Caprese topped with pesto and a light arugula salad topped with locally made burrata; again simple and perfectly composed.No sooner had plates been cleared when entrée dishes (secondi) began to appear at the table: a Grilled Chicken Pizza with pears and goat cheese was a surprise, while Chianti-Braised Short Ribs with fingerling potatoes was a hearty addition. The highlight was the housemade Orecchiette with Italian Sausage (also housemade), rapini and chili flakes generously dusted with Parmesan.
We all loosened our belts as two decadent plates of chocolate were delivered to our table: the first was Princi’s signature Tiramisu with layers of chocolate cake soaked in dark rum and mascarpone cream, chocolate shavings & leghorn sauce; and, the second was indulgent chocolate truffle bars like Kit-Kat bars on steroids with raspberries snow-capped with powdered sugar. Both made excellent finales to a wonderful sampling of Italian dishes.We said our good byes and headed off into the night with full bellies (and validated parking tickets – a treasure in Atlanta to be sure,) each of us vowing to return in the very near future! Thanks to Princi Italia located at 77 12th Street for a fabulous evening!
