DolceBunnie

Showing posts with label Pizza. Show all posts

The dining precinct in South Bank has definitely changed dramatically over the past 12 months. I had never thought that it would be possible to have so many awesome dining options available on a short stretch of road, in Brisbane.

It was Valentine’s Day and I had woken up to some amazing presents that the other travel bunnie had surprised me with. We made a reservation at Mister Paganini for lunch - a casually Italian eatery which is child-friendly meaning that Minibun George could tag along and have an enjoyable meal, making Mister Paganini our perfect Valentine.

By 12pm, Mister Paganini was almost filled with patrons. We walked through the restaurant from the Grey Street entrance and were lead to a sizeable table that seemed perfect for people watching. Once seated, Minibun George was given some crayons and a colouring paper with kids menu options printed on the side. Things to keep Minibun George amused, big tick.

Without wasting any time, we had a quick browse of the menu and decided on the food - Vongole – Clams, sweetcorn, ‘nduja, basil, grilled ciabatta ($16), Quattro Stagioni – Tomato, fior di latte, mushroom, ham, cherry tomato, artichoke, anchovy (4 pizzas in 1)($25), Pomodoro – Heirloom tomato, shaved zucchini, ricotta, basil, olive crumbs ($12) and of course, a chicken parmigiana with fries ($8.50) from the kids menu.

The food didn’t take long at all to arrive. After a few sips of my San Pellegrino pompelmo ($4.50), a plate of enticing Chicken parmigiana was presented in front of George. Melted cheese sat atop wonderfully crumbed meat accompanied by golden shoestring fries that looked mouthwatering and George seemed extremely impressed.

The quattro stagioni was definitely a good option for first timers; when you’re not sure about what to order or when all the pizza options look too good… made by pizzaiolo Youssef Ben Touati then cooked in the Stefano Ferrara wood-fired oven, which seemed to be the centrepiece of the restaurant, our pizza was simple yet authentic and delicious. The tomato salad added a touch of coolness to lunch on a hot summer day and complemented the pizza perfectly. My favourite though, had to be the clams; sweet and spicy, the clams were tasty morsels that I couldn’t get enough of.

Mister Paganini, thank you for such a wonderful date.

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $54.50

I’m in Rome!

No, just kidding. I wish I was but.

A while back I wrote down a list of things that I wanted to do before I turn 30, and one of them is to ride a Vespa with the other travel bunnie in Rome, just like Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday. Time is still (sort of) on my side, and although we are yet to visit Rome and I don’t own a Vespa, at least I’m now in the draw to win one. Thanks to Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar who has recently unveiled four new Italian inspired pizzas, to celebrate a new range, they are giving away a classic Vespa to one lucky customer who purchases any of their Crust pizzas during the promotion period which ends on the 23rd of this month. I have my fingers crossed.

Reimagined the Italian classics, the new La Dolce Pizza range includes Porcini, Chilli Gambero, Quattro Salumi and one secret pizza which can only be unlocked in store or via the website, using the password ‘La Dolce Pizza’.

One of the Crust Gourmet Pizza Bars is located a few minutes walk away from our home, so a few nights ago we ordered the Porcini pizza from the new range to pick up. The smell of truffle oil and mushrooms literally followed us all the way home (insert: cartoon drawing of hot steam coming through the pizza box).

Created on a creamy Béchamel base, the Porcini pizza is topped with a combination of Porcini and wild mushrooms, shaved Parmesan, fresh basil and truffle oil. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all of us (yes, even Minibun George has almost an entire slice). I loved the fact that the pizza isn't over decorated with loads of different ingredients. It was so simple yet the depth and dimension of flavour was certainly not lacking, thanks to the variety of mushrooms used and the generous amount of truffle oil. Hmmm…truffle oil, golden liquid goodness.

You see that’s the thing I love about Crust, you can always find authentic gourmet pizzas with unique flavour combinations and ingredients that feed all the senses.

Now I’m just waiting for the Vespa key to arrive in the mail.

Disclaimer: our dinner was provided by Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar, however my opinion is as always, my own.