The Italian cafe in Huaxia Art Center is much more than a cafe. It is a dining and entertainment complex, an ice-cream house and an open-air bar, all under the name Romance in Rome.

Owner Zhang Fengqin likes to call it a cafe since her dream started with a small private cafe for her to chat with friends or read. It turned into a grand combination of multiple functions to cater to the needs of moviegoers, young art apprentices, and anyone who wants to spend a refreshing, relaxing or romantic night at the art center¡¯s lovely landscaped square.

Zhang has created a classic Italian setting for Romance in Rome on the second floor of the art center. Zhang recreated a Roman street corner with iron-grating on the windows, huge white pillars and Italian cafe tables and chairs.

At least 80 percent of the ingredients are from Italy, Zhang said. She uses Tazza Doro, one of the best Italian brands of coffee beans, and high-end Italian coffeemakers to produce a cup of authentic Italian coffee.

The cappuccino is so delicately made that the silky foam on the surface can hold fine-granulated white sugar for just seven seconds before it slides into the hot mixture of coffee and milk, the criteria for the best Italian cappuccino, according to Zhang.

The tiramisu is highly recommended, even for those who hate sweet desserts. It is light, pure and silky. Above all, it goes so well with the cappuccino that both quickly disappear, no surprise to the waitresses standing by.

The espresso is also excellent. It is served in a tiny crystal cup, like a transparent elf with black temptation, pure, strong but not at all blunt.

The cafe serves other food as well, including pizza, spaghetti, salads and steaks, at reasonable prices and above-average quality. A 12-inch pizza costs around 80 yuan (US$10) and steaks from 120 yuan to 200 yuan.

The next best thing after the coffee and tiramisu may be the Italian ice cream with fat content lower than 4 percent for some 20 varieties.

The ice cream is sold in a separate shop with colorful counters and bar chairs, catching the attention of children coming for art classes upstairs.

Chinese and foreign bands perform at night. Starting next week, a jazz band will be on stage from 7 to 10 p.m. for a month.

Editor: Donald