Italian

+39 Pizzeria

Toscana

(Italian tomato salsa, fior di latte, Italian Berkshire sausage, rocket, parmesan)

★★★☆☆

Capricciosa Italiana

(Italian tomato salsa, fior di latte, leg ham, olives, artichoke hearts, mushroom)

★★☆☆☆

Tartufata

(Cream of mushrooms, fior di latte, mushrooms, rocket, truffle oil, parmesan)

It’s been a long time since a pizza has made me go ‘wow’ but the flavours of this tartufata were incredible! If only the centre had been less soggy, this definitely would have been a 5 star pizza.

★★★★☆

Linguine All’Amalfitana

(Amalfi style pasta with prawns, cherry tomatoes, chilli, garlic and crayfish bisque)

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Deliciously light pizzas that have a fantastic thin base but tend to get soggy rather quickly in the centre. Even so, they still tasted amazing! Service was efficient and the ambience was bustling. I certainly recommend the pizzas here and will doubtlessly return for the Tartufata.

+39 Pizzeria

362 Little Bourke St, Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9642 0440

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Tipo 00

House made focaccia with ricotta and basil oil

★★★☆☆

Gnocchi di patate

(braised duck, porcini mushroom and pecorino pepato)

Perfectly textured gnocchi that was light, smooth and springy, while the duck and mushroom sauce was simply delicious .

★★★★☆

Verdura

(green beans, snow peas, witlof, goats cheese and almonds)

★★★☆☆

Riso carnaroli

(moreton bay bug risotto)

Well cooked risotto, strong distinguishable taste of moreton bay bug.

★★★★☆

Overall:

Named after the finely ground flour used to make pizza and pasta, Tipo 00 is a place that offers simple yet quality Italian fare. No wonder it was one of Melbourne’s best new restaurants of 2014 according to the Good Food guide. I highly recommend getting the chef’s menu which allows you to sample a delicious range of starters, pasta and dessert.

Tipo 00

361 Little Bourke St, Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9942 3946

http://www.tipo00.com.au/

Chicken Cacciatore with Double Corn Polenta

Ingredients:

Chicken

4 chicken breast fillets, cut into thirds
salt
pepper
1/2 cup plain flour
olive oil
1 large red capsicum, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
fresh basil leaves

Polenta

2 cups milk
1 cup water
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 cup quick-cooking polenta
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Sprinkle chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Mix thoroughly.

2. Lightly coat the chicken with plain flour.

3. In a large pan heat the oil, add the chicken and cook until golden brown. Set aside the chicken.

4. Heat more oil in the pan and add the capsicum, onion and garlic. Saute over medium heat until the onion is soft.

5. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and oregano and bring to a boil.

6. Return the chicken to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the sauce to a simmer.

7. Meanwhile, prepare the polenta. In a medium saucepan, bring milk, water, and fresh or frozen corn kernels to a boil.

8. Gradually add polenta, stirring constantly until incorporated. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened. If polenta is too thick, add more water.

9. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese.

10. Serve polenta on plates with the chicken and sauce. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Overall:

Simple to make and super delicious!

Assaggi Italiani

Lasagna D’Oro

Homemade lasagna that was remarkably cheesy and had a very thin sauce.

★★☆☆☆

Capricciosa Pizza
A scatter of bocconcini, ham, mushrooms and olives on a tasty thin crispy crust.

★★☆☆☆

Straccetti “Signora Antonella”

The pasta was al dente, the Italian sausage had a strong fennel and anise taste, while the spinach and cream sauce was rather insipid.

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

A warm and inviting atmosphere, wonderful service, an impressive pizza oven, uninspiring pizza and pasta. Note that this place is closed on Mondays.

Assaggi Italiani

99 Glenferrie Rd, Malvern, VIC

(03) 9500 1624

http://assaggiitaliani.com.au/

Smolt

Spring Bay mussels, white wine, garlic, parsley, dill, shallots, saffron aioli

★★☆☆☆

Tasmanian oysters

★★★☆☆

Tassal salmon ceviche, crisp radish, pickled fennel and celery, goats curd cream

★★☆☆☆

Grilled Tassal salmon, freekah, faro and du puy lentil braise, chimichurri, chorizo and herb salad

★★☆☆☆

House made linguini, Spring Bay mussels, spanner crab, yellow tomato, pernod, bottarga

★★☆☆☆

Chargrilled baby chicken, sweet corn puree, quinoa, roasted summer onion, tomato and walnut salsa

★★☆☆☆

Pan fried house made herb and parmesan gnocchi, pancetta lardons, baby carrots, pear, walnuts, cavalo nero, pecorino

★★★☆☆

Overall:

Good food, casual atmosphere, friendly staff.

Smolt

2 Salamanca Sq, Hobart, TAS

(03) 6224 2554

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Donnini’s

320 Lygon St, Carlton 9347 3128

Capricciosa pizza

(Fior di latte, tomato, leg ham, mushroom, marinated Ligurian olives)

I liked the thin and crispy base however I didn’t like how the olives came with pits.

= ★★

Ravioli Con Salmone E Burrata

(salmon, burrata and smoked ricotta ravioli, butter, dill, asparagus)

A light ravioli served in a delicious sauce.

= ★★★

Tris Di Pasta Donnini

(Tagliatelle Al Ragu Nostro, Tortelli Di Ricotta, Gnocchi Al Pomodoro)

Hand made pasta cooked in fresh sauces.

= ★★★

Overall:

Although somewhat pricier than your typical Lygon St restaurant, what you get here at Donnini’s is quality Italian fare, good service and a great atmosphere.

Micheli’s Wood Fire Pizza & Pasta

21-25 Heatherdale Rd, Ringwood 9873 7079

Prosciutto Wood Fire Pizza

(garlic and herb base, fresh fior di latte cheese, fresh rocket, prosciutto crudo, olive oil, grana parmesan)

Generous toppings (especially the prosciutto!) served on a delicious garlic and herb base

★★★

Spaghetti Marinara

(selection of seafood pan fried in garlic oil in Napoli sauce)

Well cooked spaghetti, watery sauce

★★

Overall:

Great pizza, speedy service, simple and relaxed atmosphere.

Sauced Pasta Bar

148 Chapel Street, Windsor 1300 728 233

Mafaldine Amatriciana

Fried ravioli & Oven roasted desiree potato gnocchi with The 4 P’s sauce

Thoughts:

Mafaldine Amatriciana – perfectly cooked pasta with a somewhat flat sauce that comprised of cold smoked pancetta, napoli, spring onion and chilli = Not bad

Fried ravioli – sweet potato, sautéed leek and ricotta ravioli served with napoli sauce. The ravioli itself was crispy, thick and tough to bite through, while the filling was so bland that I had to check the menu a few times to remind myself what I was actually eating = Bad

Gnocchi with The 4 P’s sauce – the pumpkin puree, pine nuts, persian fetta and basil pesto combination was terrific and the gnocchi was deliciously soft and light = Good

Overall:

Building your own pasta dish is a great concept. Pick a sauce, pick a pasta, and if you want to, add on a side. The atmosphere was lively as the kitchen was situated right at the front of the place and was in full view of everyone. Service was a little bit slow but since the pasta was cooked so well, I am willing to forgive them for that. I’m not sure if I’m a fan of the disposable dishes that they use here, but at least they are recyclable.

Beletti Restaurant Cafe Bar

161 Lonsdale St, Dandenong 9793 1600

Chai Latte

Duck Risotto

Linguine E Gamberi

Thoughts:

Chai Latte – when it comes to chai lattes, this place has always been highly ranked on my list. Perfect for those who like their chai lattes to be sweet, aromatic and not overly spicy = Excellent

Duck Risotto – a generous amount of oven roasted duck pieces cooked with arborio rice, mushrooms, peas (which the dish could have done without) and red wine sauce = Good

Linguine E Gamberi – a light and tasty combination of linguine, prawns, cherry tomatoes, onions, basil, rocket, olive oil, chilli and garlic = Good

Overall:

The food can sometimes be a hit or miss depending on what you order, but the chai latte is always good (for my taste anyway). The service is attentive and the decor quite elegant. Note that this place is in the Entertainment Book.

Noble Calzones

238 Railway Parade, Noble Park 9791 2699

The Sweet Hot Chick

Pepper Steak with Goats Cheese

Choc Berry Double Bliss calzone

Thoughts:

The Sweet Hot Chick – sweet chilli chicken, capsicum, onion, fresh chilli (that is actually hot) and herbs = Good

Pepper Steak with Goat Cheese – sliced steak (bland and chewy), onion, capsicum, chevre (goat cheese) and peppercorns = Not bad

Choc Berry Double Bliss calzone – chocolate fondant and berry calzone served with vanilla ice cream. Although the photo I took of this is not particularly appetising, this calzone was actually quite tasty. The sweet butter dough reminded me of donuts and the fondant itself had the right amount of sweetness to it and was not overly rich = Good

Overall:

The terrific thing about this place is that all the meat and dairy used here are certified halal products and that no pork products are used or kept on the premises. The menu items that contain ham and bacon are in fact beef ham and turkey bacon (I had no idea that turkey bacon existed!). The service was incredibly warm and friendly, and the food tasty and exciting.