I've been to Italy. I've tasted the perfect \"al dente\" achieved only by master Italian artisans, and gorged on the sweet coffee-soaked lady fingers at the bottom of my tiramisu. I've finished meals off with the carefully measured portion of limoncello and watched fresh basil bake into the home-made mozzarella of a crisp wood-fired pizza as the pomodoro sizzles gently underneath. \n\nI find myself back in Rome when I visit Vivace; a masterpiece of fine dining and a treasure found in the heart of Charlotte. Wonderfully contemporary, yet traditional at heart, this restaurant evokes everything one would expect from a top-tier Italian restaurant. \n\nWe began the meal with the Gnocchi alla Romana with spicy sauteed shrimp, white wine and herb crema. Each flavor danced in my mouth after every bite, distinguishing itself through the freshness of ingredients and mastery of cooking technique. The primi was followed by a Chicken Cappelini (housemade pasta) tossed in a sun-dried tomato cream sauce, crispy pancetta, and topped with arugula. The richness of this dish was not overpowering and the saltiness of the pork rounded the dish off well, thereby achieving perfect balance in taste. I then finished with an enormous portion of Italian gelato and of course, an arancello (a sweet concentrated shot of sweet orange liquor 40% av.) to take me to the next level :)\n\nOur server was prompt, kind, and knowledgeable. He had wonderful recommendations and even replaced a melting gelato of his own volition because he had thought it was overly melted. \n\nIt's restaurants like these that deserve recognition and acclaim in the wider gastronomic community. I commend the staff here and will be back again soon.\n\n5/5