Il Caminetto

Leaving Italian inspired restaurant Il Caminetto in Moonee Ponds, my fellow diner and I turned to each other said “What more could you want” – and I couldn’t think of a better way to sum up our experience.

As soon as we were served up warm fresh bread (made on the premises) and offered Aperol Spritz’s (on tap!) I knew we were in for a great experience. 

For starters we shared the seared scallops served with cauliflower puree and fish croquettes ($19), the eggplant parmigiana ($16) (a strong favourite for me) and the special for the evening, fried cod balls.

 The Cassunziei All’Ampezzana ($25) served up for our main, however, was my fellow diner’s favourite dish of the night – consisting of traditional pasta filled with beetroot and parmesan served with burnt butter, sage and poppy seeds.  For me, however, it was all about the Black ink risotto with grilled calamari and seared scallops – which was a complete surprise to me as I’m never usually a big risotto fan – but the flavours in this dish were just bursting from the seams and the seafood was cooked to perfection.

It’s Il Caminetto’s clear passion for food and great service, in a casual but welcoming setting, which is what makes it the new fave.

Food: 5/5

Service: 5/5

Venue: 4/5

Value for Money: 4/5

Total: 18/20

Verdict: The New Fave – put it as number 1 on the to do list.

The New Fave dined courtesy of Il Caminetto

 

Marameo

Marameo is akin to a newly released Gucci bag – completely on trend at the moment and the talk of the town – but clearly also a classic that won't go out of fashion and will withstand the test of time.

Marameo is one of the newest Italian restaurants to hit Melbourne’s food scene, replacing the once much loved classic, Sarti. 

The warm and welcoming service is definitely one of its highlights.  With their personal touches, and in depth knowledge of their menu and wine list, they manage to make every patron feel like a VIP.  

It wouldn’t be an Italian restaurant in Melbourne without burrata appearing on the menu, and Marameo is no exception. It’s burrata with heirloom tomatoes, basil and pine nuts ($19) is a fresh and zesty start to the meal which will leave your taste buds excited for the next course.  

 If you’re in the mood for pasta, the cavatelli with pork sausage and broccoli is hard to go past ($25) – a generous serving of perfectly cooked al dente pasta which balances the saltiness of the pork, with the freshness of the rich and creamy broccoli. 

 

As soon as I walked out Marameo’s doors, I couldn’t wait to return again soon – that’s what makes it the New Fave.

Food: 5/5

Service: 5/5

Venue: 4/5

Value for money: 4.5/5

Total: 19.5/20

Verdict: The New Fave – put it as number 1 on the To Do list. 

 

Fatto

When I heard Fatto was offering bottomless pasta for $30, I thought I had died and gone to carb heaven. For the month of June, Southbank’s Italian inspired restaurant Fatto is serving up bottomless Orieccette with broccoli, anchovy, chili and garlic, Tagliatelle with red wine braised beef chin, Rigatoni Amatricana and Spaghetti aglio.

The actual pasta in all four of the dishes was the standout - clearly homemade and cooked al dente. The flavours in the Oriecette, Tagliatte and Spaghetti were also pretty tasty - although all were improved with an extra dash of chili and seasoning.

Unfortunately the table's consensus on the Amatricana was that it tasted a lot like a can of SPC spaghetti. And don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the trustee tin of spag - but perhaps not while I'm out to dinner.

The service also wasn’t so great - our waitress provided a vague and confusing explanation of how the menu worked, there was no explanation of what dishes of pasta they were literally "dumping" on our table, and not a smile to be seen in sight.  

Was it the best pasta I’ve had in Melbourne? Well, no - but it was tasty and cooked well (and you can do a lot of damage for $30) - so definitely worth giving a try at some point if you’re ridiculously hungry and on a budget. 

Food: 4/5

Service: 2/5

Venue: 3.5/5

Value for money: 4/5

Total: 13.50/20

Verdict: like - get around to trying at some point 

 

Cecconi's

With its crisp white table cloths, elegant glassware, exquisite Italian food, and slightly stuffy and overcrowded venue, the formal dining area at Cecconi's stays refreshingly true to the old-worldly concept of the long boozy business lunch.

Situated in the CBD, on the left side of venue is the casual bar area which offers a range of Italian inspired entree's at around the $15 mark, and mains at around $30. On the right side of the venue is the pièce de résistance, where dishes will set you back about $30 for an entree and $50 for a main.  On this occasion we were lucky enough to dine in the formal dining area. 

My entree of calamari fritti was flawless - tender, juicy and cooked to absolute perfection.  So too was the eye fillet steak, which was also served with mashed potato and a roasted mushroom on the side.

The service was also excellent - well that is until one of the waiters was incredibly rude to us at the end - an unnecessary blemish on what could have otherwise been an exceptional experience.

With the suits piled in, the expensive booze flowing and the bellows of laughter coming from all corners of the room at 3.30pm on a Weekday, you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd stepped into a scene on Wall Street.  But all of this adds to Cecconi's distinct charm which what makes it one of the best restaurants in Melbourne.

Food: 5/5
Service: 3.5/5
Venue: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Total: 16.5/20
Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon

Tazio Birraria Pizzaeria & Cucina

I never thought I was the biggest risotto fan - until I tried Tazio's Prosciutto Risotto with tomato, basil and Meredith's goats cheese. Whilst with most risottos I get sick of the same taste and texture after about 5 mouthfuls, Tazio's risotto (whilst a bit of an ugly duckling) packs enough flavour that it still excites the taste buds with each mouthful.

Tazio also offers a range of your usual Italian culprits - from pastas and pizzas, to croquettes and antipasto platters.  The Vendure pizza with tomato, mozzarella, roast pumpkin, artichoke, peppers, pine nuts and ricotta is a bit of a miss - with my fellow diners and I coming to the consensus that it lacked any punch of flavour - however, if you're a truffle fan, than the Ramano with mozzarella, fior di latte, pecorino, fresh rocket, mushrooms and truffle oil is the way to go.

If you're in the CBD, in the mood for pasta, and all the usual Italian favourites are booked out (i.e. Lupino, Tipo 00, Il Solito Posto, Waiters Club), then Tazio is a tasty choice.

Food: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Venue: 3/5
Total: 9/5
Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point

Scarpetta

When thinking back to my experience at Scarpetta, the story of Goldilocks and the three bears comes to mind - Scarpetta isn't too fancy, it isn't too casual - it's just right. With staff that make you feel at home from the second you walk through the door, this Italian inspired restaurant in Albert Park serves food which can be described as nothing less than drool worthy.

Whilst it was hard to pass up ordering the fresh local scallops topped with a homemade Atlantic Salmon chive mousse, or the pork rib cutlet butterflied and filled with provolone and basil, crumbed in bread, cheese, herbs and then grilled, I couldn't go past ordering a couple of their incredible looking pizzas.

Both the Funghi pizza (with Fior di latte, exotic mushrooms, garlic, grana padano and truffle oil), and the Salame Piccante (with Fior di latte, hot salami, black olives, roasted capsicum and fresh herbs), are excellent options. Whilst I'm often told a traditional Italian pizza should only have a few toppings on it, the highlight of my meal at Scarpetta was the abundance of toppings on my pizzas - fresh, flavoursome and ridiculously delicious!

Great service, impressive price tag, incredible wine, and food to drool over - I will definitely be back to Scarpetta soon.

Food: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Venue: 3.5/5
Total: 12.5/15
Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon