Postmistress, Brunswick West MELB

Hello 2021, a year much anticipated by many in light of a rather “uneventful” 2020. Personally, my daily routine is still in motion despite the lockdown (no working from home unfortunately).

First blog post of the year dedicated to a lovely Italian eatery secretly located in Brunswick, known to the local residents. Service was attentive but did decline slightly when the restaurant got busy with the dinner crowd.

E’purpette - pork and veal meatballs. A mouthful of protein generously coated in Napoli sauce. Well seasoned it was.

I can’t recall the name of this dish but I believe it’s the Zio Peppe with pork sausage meat and a hint of chilli. I could easily polish off the entire pizza myself, it was really tasty and worth the extra calories.

Asparagus risotto - on the daily special and one that both the sister and I were pleasantly surprised by. Championing the humble asparagus, this dish was a wonderful celebration of both indulgence and flavour. May be slightly heavy for those who are not used to having cheese incorporated into their meals but worthy of a try in my opinion.

Tiramisu - an Italian meal is not complete without a serve of this caffeinated dessert. The sister too enjoyed this dish as it was not too sweet and had a good cream to caffeine ratio.

Overall a good experience and am looking forward to a second visit in the future.

Lupino, CBD MELB.

After visiting Italy back in 2018, I was blown away by the stark difference between authentic Italian pasta vs what we get in restaurants or commercially from supermarkets. I am no pasta connoisseur but I will try to avoid pasta related dishes for fear of disappointment.

Now Lupino was one of those restaurants on my radar prior to visiting the pasta motherland and admittedly, I am guilty of procrastinating a visit despite the many possible opportunities. Seeing as I would be in the CBD area on my day off, I decided to pick up the phone and book a table for the sister and myself.

Bread and butter - a staple in most restaurants although I was surprised that butter was served as opposed to olive oil. Just an observation.

Cauliflower fritto, aioli and white anchovy - the sister was keen on ordering this despite not knowing that was a fritto. Gamble well paid off as I found myself repeatedly dipping pieces of golden, crunchy fritto in the creamy aioli. Not entirely sure about the addition of thin slivers of white anchovies came with the dish but I gather it may be to reduce the overly oily sensation on one's palate?

Baked polpette in sugo - Sugo had a strong aroma of pureed tomatoes and was almost paste like in texture which worked well for coating each piece of meatball.

Cavatelli, Italian sausage, zucchini and saffron - I loved the aroma oozing from this dish and until this day, cannot find a better way to describe it. Floral like with a tinge of savoury and aromatic from what went into the making of the sausage mince. Pasta was delicious although can't say it reminded me of Italy. Close tho!

Ricotta gnocchi, pomodoro and buffalo mozzarella - I am a big fan gnocchi dishes although I tend to lean towards more potatoes in the gnocchi as opposed to a blend. Dish was tasty and portion wise, perfect. Would have liked this dish to come with meat tho but nevertheless, I knew what I was getting myself into:)

Tiramisu - not overly sweet nor alcoholic/ over caffeinated.  Loved every bite of this and even the sister who hardly sticks her fork into desserts was coming back for seconds.

Europe: Pompi, Rome ITALY

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Am not entirely sure what this is about but hey, at least I can get my fix of tiramisu in the land that originated it, right? As per usual, Google guided me to Pompi, notably one of the better outlets serving this renowned Italian dessert, in a few varieties that is.

Located in the ever busy Piazza di Spagna, it was not difficult to find this shop although one has to be mindful of pickpockets lurking among the crowd of tourists and locals alike.

There was a small queue ahead of us when we arrived although it did move fairly quickly. Patrons would firstly pay for their order at the cashier and given a receipt listing the items that they have paid for to which, is presented to the fella behind the cake/ gelato cabinet.

The sister is not a big fan of sweets and so, we stuck to the good ol'fashioned coffee loaded tiramisu and ordered a pistachio flavoured version just for comparison sake. The sponge and cream combination was refreshing and light on the palate, not overly sweet nor over zealously infused with liquor.

On the other hand, pistachio version could have done better with a bit more pistachio flavour. Both were yummy although I wouldn't say they are a must try in Rome. Keep following to find more yummy posts to come over the next few weeks.

Brunetti Flinders Lane, CBD MELB

After finishing my last work shift in the CBD, I have been very reluctant to pursue other restaurants in that vicinity until a few months had lapsed. The thought of anticipating when the train would depart and braving the crowd still does not appeal to me until this day.

So happens that I had been grated two (YES!!) days off this week to catch up on rest before my 8 day shift commences and alas, I am game enough to head into the city. Strangely enough, I still feel like a tourist as I wander through Melbourne CBD.

Which brings me to Brunetti, one of the older restaurants in Melbourne and one that had conveniently opened its doors in the CBD, more specifically on Flinders Lane. Greeted by a wall of cakes followed by a large coffee stand in the middle of the restaurant and a small section for ordering savoury food like pasta, pizza and entrees, this restaurant is a good replica of a dining scene in Italy.

Spaghetti carbonara - Whilst may not come close to the ones we had in Italy (yes, Italy's pasta had ruined me for life), mum was pleased with this seemingly simple but decadent dish. Which says a lot because mum was never one to fancy creamy type of dishes.

Seafood linguine - Linguine cooked al dente and seafood bits were fresh, succulent and had been given a good splash of white wine for added flavour. Overall a really nice dish and one that I would happily come back for.

Salami - tomatoes, mozzarella, mild salami, basil, ricotta and porcini mushrooms. Thumbs of for a thin, well prepared pizza crust and for a good distribution of ingredients on the dough. Would definitely be back to try their other pizza options.

Admittedly, I had high expectations for the desserts but sadly, was let down by its lack of freshness. The biscuit was meant to have a strawberry aroma but nil was detected and the cakes were bordering on the dry side of the scale. Such a shame because Brunetti is renowned for its sweets :(

Europe: Milan's Duomo, ITALY

Italy's one of the few countries that I often wonder if it's worth the hype. I'll be brutally honest in saying that it is one of the few countries that one has to see at least once in a lifetime. Unlike the other more European cities, Italy still retains its unique charm, possibly carried forth by the local culture - a strong sense of passion in everything they do.

This is the first instalment of my Italian blog posts and whilst not in chronological order, I do hope to perk your interest in the country's rich, diverse background, glorified further by it's beautiful monuments and sights.

If I were to describe Milan in one word it would be metropolitan. Commercial buildings in every corner of this once heavily bombed city, and sometimes, a few interesting artsy, colourful sculptures reflecting the city's acceptance towards creativity. 

Right in the middle lies the Duomo, Italy's biggest Gothic cathedral, visited by thousands of people each passing day. Getting tickets would be a nightmare for late visitors and albeit crowded, there is a sense of serenity in the cathedral itself. One cannot help but awe at the magnificient alfresco. sculptures and paintings adorning the walkway.

Basta, Fitzroy MELB

A few years ago, my definition of Italian food in Melbourne would be Lygon Street. Just about every shop screams pasta, pizza and gelato, a dream come true for the tourist in me when I first arrived in Melbourne. Having been disappointed by a particular restaurant, I soon turned into an arrogant Italian consumer and would only go to restaurants that are highly raved about.

Carrie, the enthusiastic and highly passionate owner of Basta, was kind enough to offer me an invitation to dine at her restaurant on Wednesday and patiently explained to me the story behind her Italian restaurant. Knowing how Italians are proud of their country's food (and rightfully so), I knew that I would be in good hands when Carrie mentioned of her husband's background to us.

The menu is kept simple, concise and price wise, it will not leave you with a credit card debt. I loved how warm and welcoming the entire restaurant felt on a cold night. Cannot fault being surrounded by soothing music and a few bottles of wine starring back at me.

Raspberry mojito mocktail - I do like a sweet drink in place of alcoholic beverages and this is my newfound favourite combination. Not overly tart from the dried raspberries and had a moderated tinge of sweetness that pairs well with the earthy scent of mint leaves.

Polpette - beef and pork meatballs, potato puree and tomato sugo. The meatballs had a perfect ratio of each meat in it and certainly was well seasoned. Sweetness from the tomato sugo was well balanced by the sharpness from the shredded parmesan cheese.

Salumi and formaggi - this massive platter would feed at least 3 people and is generously filled with slices of porchetta, bresaolo, capocollo and cheese in the form of caciatta al tartufo and fiordilatte. My first proper (and deliciously satisfying) introduction to cured Italian meat. I can easily finish a few dollops of fiordilatte, a soft, creamy type of mozarella cheese. My favourite meat would be the milder flavoured porchetta aka the softest but probably fattiest slice of meat on the platter.

Bread with olive oil - I am a huge fan of bread served at restaurants (am I partly French, maybe?) and was pleased by how soft the bread felt and teared in my hands. However, the real star here is the olive oil. Extremely fragrant and bold tasting, almost to the point of being unforgettable.

Orecchiette al broccoli - house made orecchiette, broccoli, chilli, anchovies, garlic oil, pecorino and Italian sausage. I absolutely loved how most of Basta's pasta is made in house and to me, this is one of the best pasta dishes I have had in Australia. Cooked al dente and packed full of flavours from humble ingredients like broccoli and chilli, I was very impressed at how the chef managed to convince the carnivore in me to look at greener pastures. Highly recommended.

Porchetta - free range rolled roasted pork, brussel sprouts and salsa verde. Another winner in my books and truly one that I feel the picture does it no justice. Earth shattering pork skin, soft and juicy meat, caramelized brussel sprouts.. Enough said really.

Dulche de leche pannacotta - chocolate and hazelnut soil, chocolate ganache and caramelised figs. Moreish and came in just the right size for sharing between the two of us who were at this stage, filled to the brim. Pannacotta was silky smooth and not overly sweet whilst chocolate ganache is something that I would gladly sneak the entire quenelle into my mouth if the sister isn't looking.

Once again, many thanks to Carrie and the team at Basta for having me over for dinner. In saying that this is a sponsored post, I did enjoy my dinner tremendously and do believe that Basta is on the money in soon to becoming a popular Italian hideout for those wanting pasta, done right of course ;)

Sette Bello, Glen Waverley MELB

"Where would you like to go for Valentine's day?", WL asked out of the blue. I starred at him in utter disbelief, allowing myself a few minutes to gather my thoughts. I responded with a casual burger outlet that we frequented last year but after giving a bit more thought into it, I suggested Sette Bello, a restaurant that is close enough for the both of us and a place where we could unwind.

Bookings are necessary here and WL had arranged for it in advance, a feat that he is pretty good at hehe.  Service is friendly and efficient, orders came within a reasonable time frame.

Not sure if WL liked the idea of bread dipped in butter but I did find it amusing how he could down it quickly regardless.

Salt and pepper calamari, crisp fennel, cucumber, iceberg salad, basil aioli - salt and pepper is quite a simple method of prepping a dish but I personally felt Setto Bello did right by cooking the calamari at the right temperature and obtaining a pleasant balance between crunch and dry. Salad lent the dish some acidity, a good contrast to the fried pieces of calamari.

"Involtino di qualglia" quail, mushroom and foie gras wrapped in filo - I do like quail and this was prepared well from the crisp layer of filo to perfectly removing the fine quail bones to the fine mesh of fruit infused jam/pickles. Highly recommended to give this guy a try;)

Spicy Italian pork sausage and smoked eggplant - I have a good tolerance towards spicy food and found this a little spicy in my books. Not something for the faint hearted but worth a try if you don't mind a little kick of it.

Chargrilled eye fillet steak, potato gratin, crushed greens and brandy peppercorn sauce. Another simple dish done right, bonus points for serving it with potato gratin (a favourite of mine!).

Fries - because WL loves fries as much as I do and he almost finished the entire bowl by himself.

Confit duck leg, pan fried duck breast, cannellini bean scordalia, grilled peach and duck glaze. I love meat served with fruit and this was no exception. Scordalia toned down the robust flavours from the duck and fruit by a notch and somehow bridged those two ingredients together well. I thought the serving portion for this was a lot more generous compared to other establishments:)

Italian fried doughnuts, honeycomb, nutella, cracked chocolate and double cream - at this stage both of us probably did not need dessert but we still went ahead and ordered one. Doughnuts were delicious although I found the combination of ingredients a little too rich to my liking. Still a satisfying way to end our meal tho:)