It can sometimes seem that Italian restaurants in our city fall into one of two camps: the really fancy expensive venues or the really humble Thai-fusion joints in malls. Calderazzo Bistro falls somewhere in the middle and as a result seems to have slipped through the cracks. In truth, this rather pretty glass-house bistro (not to be confused with its sister restaurant further down the street) has a date-night ambience, attentive service by competent staff who know the menu and large portions of reasonably-priced and carefully-prepared classic Italian food. Where this really shows is in their simple dishes, which are presented unadorned—displaying an admirable (and mostly deserved) confidence in the kitchen which doesn’t try to fool us with fancy tricks. Their seafood spaghetti with white wine sauce (B290) can easily be shared by two people. More importantly, it’s a perfect balance of al dente pasta, plenty of garlic, the right amount of seasoning and carefully-cooked seafood. Even the octopus, which we’re usually resigned to having chewy, is perfect. Impressive. The seafood also shines in their appetizers, such as the scallops with pancetta and slices of zucchini (B340). The velvety bites pack a nice surprise, thanks to the generous amounts of lemon zest on top, taking the simple dish a little higher than your average pasta joint. The sure-handed restraint is also present in the lamb rack with juniper gravy and grilled vegetables (B690). Medium means medium, and the meat is melt-in-your-mouth without costing the earth. We appreciate other little touches, too. Instead of just the usual tomato and garlic bruschetta, Calderazzo offers nearly ten different toppings, including a particularly decadent one with mozzarella (which, granted, we would have preferred less melted) and anchovies. They do a couple of wines by the glass, and both the red and the white options are solid, well-stored and a measly B190. So, there’s very little to complain about here, except for the fact that the clientele is sparse and old-fashioned, leaving us a little depressed. We hope this review will help remind the young and hip of Calderazzo’s beautiful space and hearty fare.