JEDDAH: I am always interested in discovering new places to eat in Jeddah, particularly around Al-Shati Atelier Lavie. Mazencito, on King Abdulaziz Road, had been on my radar for some time, but I had never stopped to try it. The stuffed fruit sorbet was what caught my eye on Mazencito’s menu, but it was a craving for Italian food that had taken me to the restaurant in the first place. The restaurant was quite full, although we were fortunate to find a table for two. We started with the rigatoni in creamy truffle sauce, which was rich and full of flavor. The pasta was slightly firmer than I prefer, and I wished the portion had been larger, but I would happily order it again. I enjoyed the pasta al limone with shrimp even more. Simply presented, it let the fresh lemon zest shine. The acidity and salt were well balanced, and the shrimp was cooked just as I like it. We wanted something sweet and refreshing after the pasta, so we ordered Mazencito’s well-known stuffed fruit sorbet. The platter came with sorbet served inside two lemons, an apple and two oranges. The lemon was the clear standout. The apple tasted pleasantly natural, while the orange had an artificial flavor that felt out of place. At around SR170 ($45), the platter was expensive, and easily large enough for more than two people. I would have preferred the option to order the fruits individually. We ended the meal with a double espresso, a fitting close to our Italian evening. Mazencito also serves pizza, which I did not try this time. The interior made less of an impression than the food, but the pasta gives me a good reason to return. For more information, visit @mazencito.ksa on Instagram.