There’s nothing special about Allora, which is tucked into a small plaza in the commercial heart of Sandton, but there’s nothing wrong with it either. It’s a sort of generic Italian-themed eatery that specializes in brick-oven pizzas and a few other items, and obviously caters to the office workers and nearby residents who can walk here easily for a smart-casual lunch or dinner.

The decor isn’t particularly Italian, though it’s pleasant and inviting, mixing traditional and modern in the form of exposed stone walls, dark wood accents, crisp white tablecloths, and a glass-enclosed wine storage area to one side. Three huge brick ovens dominate the entry to the kitchen, which adds a nice rustic touch and a large dash of red to the color scheme. The buzzy dining area is large and airy, with glass doors that open into Gwen Street when then weather is warm, and incandescent lights that cast an appealing yellow glow on the room.

The plastic-laminated menu is a bit overwhelming, with page after page of modern Italian specialties with some Greek and South African mixed in, including a whole page each for salads, pastas, seafood, steaks and  more. Lots of Falklands calamari, and gourmet selections such as ostrich fillet (filletto di struzzi all dominicana), bistecca all paprika, scaloppine al marsala, and melanzane ricotta e spinaci.

For starters I tried the pomodori e rucola salad (plum tomato, fresh rocket, fresh thyme and parmesan shavings, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar), which was crisp and flavorful. For a main course I ordered the seafood risotto in saffron broth, which was a little on the watery side, but otherwise OK and chock full of crustaceans. I normally don’t order dessert, but I had to try the “torre de pisa” (tower of Pisa), a stack of phyllo pastries filled with Nutella and topped with caramel and flaked almonds. Delicious!

The service was prompt and polite, and there’s an impressive list of wines, including some rare and vintage selections.