Italy 528

Pizza and pasta, that's amore!

Walk in to this pizzeria e cuccina and walk in to descend on the Spanish steps of Rome. BJ deCastro's custom made painting adorns the wall, however is void of any people with the exception of a few.  Italy 528 aspires to fill its restaurant, like its steps, full of people to enjoy their food.

The modern fit out is homely, with family portraits lining the fireplace mantle. The white walls and high ceiling do wonders for the acoustics.

This casual suburban eatery is a hit among locals for its traditional dishes and use of seasonal produce.

Staff are warm and welcoming and prove helpful in guiding you through the pizza dominant menu - there are more than 20 varieties to choose from!

There is a sense of familiarity, yet nuance about this place.  Italy 528 is sure climbing the ranks of my favourite dining locale.

Eat: The a la carte menu is well balanced with Antipasti ($8-22), Le Pizze ($13-23), and Insalte ($8-15). Artisan favourite, Pizza Daniele ($19) is recommended. Ask to hear the pasta (imported from Italy) dishes of the day, it will be worth your while. If dining in is not your thing, there is an equally impressive takeaway menu. Fancy a glass of vino with your pizza?  Enjoy both for $25 from Tuesday-Thursday. Leave room for dessert and expect Italian favourites rich in cultural history.     

The menu which also serves as a place mat.

Pizza Zucca
Fiore di latte, roasted pumpkin, rocket, goat's cheese and pine nuts

Penne bolognese

Pei Modern
Bistronomy at its best

Nestled in among Collins Place is Pei Modern, Mark Best's first foray on the Melbourne food scene. Reeling off the success of Bests' Sydney restaurant Marque, his Melbourne counterpart equally celebrates fresh and uncomplicated cooking with modern elegance.

Architects delight as the former post office interior has been redesigned (by Helen Rice from Rice Architecture) to reflect a common familiarity, a place where food can shine. Head chef Matt Germanis (ex MoVida and MoVida Aqui) dazzles with fresh produce and polished cooking techniques.

Pei Modern is not pretencious. Named after architect  I. M Pei (responsible for the Louvre’s glass pyramid), there is an innovative sleekness about the place.

I arrive fashionably late, a restaurant faux pas when a booking has been made, and am set at ease by 2013 Maitre d of the year, Ainslie Lubbock. Both manager and sommelier, you're guaranteed the full service of this consummate professional. As I perch myself at the bar, order a Watermelon Who Haa, I observe Ainslie glide across the restaurant floor with ease.

A modern masterpiece, this bistro is truly deserving of its 'Paris end' location in town. Bon appetite!

Eat: Menus change daily to reflect market produce. The dinner menu is concise, with six entrees ($18-24), four mains ($32-37), with four offerings from the wood fire grill ($25-39), along with sides and desserts. In a hurry? The Eat! Pei! Quick! (or Eat! Quick! Pei!) menu ($39pp) is available daily for lunch or pre theatre dining. Let Pei decide with a five course dinner degustation ($80).

We started with a recommended entree of peppers de padron, octopus and garlic puree ($20), which burst with freshness. Two mains followed, casarecce chicken dumplings and reggiano ($32 and allow 25 minutes) and whole snapper ($42), which reflected a great combination and balance of flavours. A side of butter beans, almonds and white anchovy ($9) completed this shared dinner for two.  Leave room for dessert as we didn't.  This only meant that a return visit would be imminent.

Peppers de padron, octopus and garlic puree

Casarecce chicken dumplings and reggiano

Whole baby snapper

Drink: Watermelon Who Haa Cocktail ($18).



Mama Baba

Cute cafe culture
embraces nostalgic flavours

By George he's done it again! Calombaris and Made Establishment (the group behind Maha, Hellenic Republic  PM24, St Katherine's and The Press Club) bring you a taste of old world Greece (Cyprian) and Italian (Sicilian) in their latest venture, Mama Baba. 

The dining room, a former industrial space, is informal and inviting with little reference to Calombaris' heritage - the notable glass pasta room the exception. Staff are friendly and attentive and bring to the table some modern fun.

My favourite in his ever expanding culinary collection, Calombaris has returned to his old school charms with Mama Baba.

Eat: The dining menu is simple and digestible. With a feature glassed-in temperature-monitored cool room, pasta is the way to go. At the helm is chef Dominic Pipicelli who is the master of pasta.

Mama and baba know best with their very own selection of distinct dishes drawing on their cultural roots. From Mama's (pasta) side the Tortellini ($28) are morsels of prawn saganaki, fried chickpea, jamon, feta which are lovingly embraced in silky, handmade pasta. The recipe for this signature dish can be found here. Baba (pasta), Orecchiette ($29) is tenderly served with braised wagyu, peas, lemon, and pangrattato.

In the vain of many new restaurants hitting the scene, the wave of accessible food is gaining trend.  Can't decide? The Mama Baba menu ($55pp) eliminates any choice with four banquet style courses. The group menu is set, however does allow scope for seasonal produce.

Bread basket with butter

Tortellini with prawn saganaki, fried chickpea, jamon and feta

 



Baby

There's one born every minute and this one's a keeper

Swapping a Pearl for a Baby is no mean feat for owner Chris Lucas. The doors on one of Melbourne's iconic restaurants may be closed after 12 years, but the name still lives on. New premises for the Pearl brand is parked at present, while the culinary direction is determined. 

With a strong Italian focus, group executive chef of Chin Chin, Dave Ricardo, oversees Baby's modern trattoria style menu. The open kitchen delivers a range of traditional and speciality pizzas, salumi, spezzatino, pasta, salads, and dolci.  Be sure to secure a seat the bar and watch all the kitchen action.

Akin to the growing trend in Melbourne's fun, modern eateries, Baby is a walk in, no bookings. For your eating pleasure, they're open for breakfast, lunch or takeaway if you want to skip the queues for dinner. 

There's also a trendy little courtyard in front.  Try one of the Italian beverages or dine al fresco if indoors is off limits and weather permits.

Look out for the neon signs illuminating from Lucas' new Richmond venture. His vision for innovative food has made Baby a hot spot on the Melbourne restaurant scene.

Eat: Fresh quality produce helps express the almost rustic like Italian cuisine. Traditional techniques are employed to create artisan pizzas, while seasonal salads are handled with the most delicate of hands, just like Baby. We tried a couple of Italian classics, pizza and pasta. The san dniele dop prosciutto was like silk and the pizza base thin and light. Delicate parcels of gnochi ouzed the flavours of pumpkin and sage. La dolce vita followed with a serving of tiramisu and hot cinnamon doughnuts (five in total).

San Daniele Prosciutto
Fior di latte, parmigiano, san daniele dop prosciutto, rocket, san marzano tomatoes

Gnocchi Alla Zucca
Hand made gnocchi, pumpkin, sage

Tiramisu
Sponge, marsala, brandy, mascarpone, espresso

Sfinci Al Cioccolato
Hot cinnamon doughnuts, chocolate sauce

Drink: As the image caption below denotes.

Just a couple of classic Italian cocktails