By Mike Byrd (cityweekend.com)
Updated: 2008-03-28 10:25

Each time we passed Ciro's Pomodoro while it was under construction, we couldn’t help but notice the giant photos of surprised looking celebrities posing with the chain's owner, Mr. Ciro.

Would the food match his celebrity-wrangling skills? Now that the Beijing branch has finally opened, we feel safe saying that Ciro's Pomodoro succeeds more as a cocktail/wine bar or celebrity photo gallery than a restaurant. The menu shares the “Look! Celebrities!” theme, coupling each pizza variety with a celebrity “favorite.” We hungrily flew through a nicely combined side of mixed salad (RMB40) to get to our pie (We had originally thought of pitting the Dustin Hoffman against the Jack Nicholson Capricciosa on a single pie, but alas, we were informed half-half was not an option.).

We were disappointed with the tasteless American Hot (“Dave Allen's favorite”), although the savory goodness of the lasagna (RMB30 for a half portion) and nicely piquant, but chewy, penne ai scampo (RMB50 for a half portion) served as mild consolation.

As the lights dimmed for the evening, a trio of jazzmen struck up their chords and a feel of intimate closeness descended upon the dining sections. It was then that we were able to forget the regrettable victuals and appreciate the ambient warmth of an upscale modern bar.

Ciro's Pomodoro
Tel: 5208-6008
Add: 81 Sanlitun North Road