Sharing the same zest and passion for foods like the Italians do, The Chimney Restaurant at Hotel Yak & Yeti brings a pasta festival named Signature Pasta & Italian Wines. The festival lays out a collection of Sicilian flavored pastas, including a few that are straight out from Chef Nilesh Singhvi's magic hat of recipes.

"Italian cuisines are simple and probably the easiest to present. Due to its fuss-free nature, it's also called ?rustic food?," explains Singhvi, the executive chef of the hotel. "The only thing one needs to keep in mind is the time of cooking and the combination," adds the chef whose innovative ability in the kitchen keeps the patrons of the hotel coming back each time.

Lobster Ravioli with Lemon, Saffron and Cognac Cream, Ricotta and Spinach Cannelloni with Sage Butter and Parmesan, Gnocchetti with Roasted Tomato Broth and Basil Pesto, Artichoke and Semidried Tomato Cappelacci with Basil Pesto and many more taste as exotic as they sound. Salmon, walnuts, olives, crabmeat, prawns etc all create a riot of flavors in the mouth. And if that's not all, the festival also offers the finest of Italian wines to wash down the pastas with.

Cooked with different combinations of sauces such as white sauce prepared with butter, flour and milk; cream sauce and bolognaise sauce concocted along with minced meat and tomato sauce; and interestingly shaped such as hats, bow ties, or ribboned or ringed etc, the pastas are relatively compatible with Nepali taste buds.

Cooked in olive oil, the pastas aren't high on calorie count either. Even despite the use of cheese in abundance?

"Yes, cheese varieties such as feta made out of goat milk is low in fat and mozzarella which is stored in brine is not at all fattening. And Italian cuisines mostly use these kinds of cheese most of the time,'" says chef Nilesh.

Now since that's taken well care of, head to The Chimney by October 31 to savor its Italian culinary delights along with the ambiance and the d?cor. Who says one needs to be in Rome to do as the Romans!