Melbourne 2010 - Dinner at Cecconi's Cantina
Melbourne has countless Italian restaurants, and to stand out from the crowd the food must be outstanding. Cecconi's - once located at the Crown Casino, has the reputation as one of the better Italian joints in town. They have since moved to Flinders Lane and added "Cantina" to their moniker - and based on our visit on a week night - still very popular.
The location is quite unusual - it is in the basement of an old building at the Eastern end of Flinders Lane. The restaurant is quite spacious, and is divided into 2 sections by the open kitchen. On one side is a bar area with some tables for a more casual dining experience. On the other side is a more formal dining room. The room is nicely furnished but very dark. It takes a while to acclimatize to the low light, but once you have settled in it was quite cozy.
A mixture of their Antipasti - all good.
Beef Carpacio with roast garlic aioli, smoked scarmoza, black olive and sweet rocket.
Moreton Bay Bug Tails with confit leek, pickled shallots and bisque sauce.
Pan Roasted Scallops with cauliflower puree.
Pork Fillet with Confit Belly, apple and celeriac remoulade, green olive tapenade and snow pea tendrils.
The desserts. Panettone Bread and Butter Pudding with Chocolate Ice Cream.
Tiramisu.
Warm Soft Centered Chocolate Pudding with Milk Ice Cream.
The food is of a very high standard, well executed and beautifully presented. Flavours are bold, ingredients are top notch, and service was attentive. This is a fairly pricey restaurant and all the mains are above AUD 40. Even the pastas are all around AUD 30, so be prepared to splash if you visit. This is definitely a high-end experience best saved for special occasions.
The location is quite unusual - it is in the basement of an old building at the Eastern end of Flinders Lane. The restaurant is quite spacious, and is divided into 2 sections by the open kitchen. On one side is a bar area with some tables for a more casual dining experience. On the other side is a more formal dining room. The room is nicely furnished but very dark. It takes a while to acclimatize to the low light, but once you have settled in it was quite cozy.
A mixture of their Antipasti - all good.
Beef Carpacio with roast garlic aioli, smoked scarmoza, black olive and sweet rocket.
Moreton Bay Bug Tails with confit leek, pickled shallots and bisque sauce.
Pan Roasted Scallops with cauliflower puree.
Pork Fillet with Confit Belly, apple and celeriac remoulade, green olive tapenade and snow pea tendrils.
The desserts. Panettone Bread and Butter Pudding with Chocolate Ice Cream.
Tiramisu.
Warm Soft Centered Chocolate Pudding with Milk Ice Cream.
The food is of a very high standard, well executed and beautifully presented. Flavours are bold, ingredients are top notch, and service was attentive. This is a fairly pricey restaurant and all the mains are above AUD 40. Even the pastas are all around AUD 30, so be prepared to splash if you visit. This is definitely a high-end experience best saved for special occasions.
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