Barolos Ristorante Italiano | Brisbane, AUSTRALIA
Barolo in Italy might be famous for its many vineyards and even greater varieties of red wine, but at Barolos in Toowong, you can get more than just good wine, because the food here is simply amazing.
It had been drizzling all day and the wet weather definitely called for a hearty meal. We headed to Toowong and found ourselves a nice table at Barolos Ristorante Italiano. Operated by Carrie and Giustino, it wasn’t hard to see their passion for this business coming through in every way. Being at the restaurant was like eating at your friend’s nonna’s house, the hospitality was warm, the food just kept coming and everything tasted so damn good. Dinner started with an off-the-menu secret platter that the restaurant would usually only put together upon request, and it put a smile on my face as soon as I laid my eyes on it. Presented on the platter was melt-in-your-mouth house speciality pork belly, grilled prawns, plump scallops, Atlantic squid dusted in lime and pink peppercorn, cold cuts, oh and let’s not forget those crispy on the outside, gooey in the centre arancini balls served with chilli jam and lemon myrtle aioli. When our waiter came over to clear the empty platter, he asked what our favourite item was, and we honestly couldn’t come up with just one single item.
Neither of us could go past their pasta for the main course. I was drawn to the sound of one of the chef’s special for the night - spaghetti all’Aragosta, a pasta dish made with Brazilian rock lobster, cooked in olive oil, chilli, garlic, white wine and fresh herbs. As for the other travel bunnie, he went for the rigatoni con pollo - free-range chicken tenderloins tossed with garlic, semi-dried tomatoes and fresh herb in a creamy tomato sauce, finished with Grana Padano cheese that was shaved like ribbons. The portions were so generous and we were so pleased with the dishes, that we hardly spoke a word to each other whilst devouring the pasta. The restaurant takes good care of the bambini too. With children’s favourite options such as bolognese, fish and chips, chicken and veggies on offer, your little one will not complain.
When it came to the time for desserts, I definitely struggled a bit. My heart didn’t want to miss out but my stomach was protesting a little bit. The dessert menu isn’t big, but you’ll definitely find all the classics. We decided to share the trio of mousse - white chocolate, honeycomb, smoked mascarpone mousse, lavender marshmallow, orange coulis. It was light and sweet, with the crunchiness of the honeycomb included for some added texture, and it was the perfect way to finish the meal. Next time though, I would love to try their tiramisu which also sounded delicious.
Our experience at Barolos couldn’t have been any better. The service was professional yet warm, the staff seemed to know a lot of the customers by their first names, so no doubt the locals love what they can order from here. Barolos also has a beautifully decorated private room at the back of the restaurant that’s perfect for a special occasion.
So next time if you’re in the mood for some Italian cuisine, give Barolos a try.
Mangiamo!
Disclaimer: with thanks to Barolos Ristorante Italiano for welcoming me to the property as a guest, please note that my opinion is as always, my own.
