Monday 12 August 2019

Giannis - Newstead


Friday night dinner with my parents. They were keen on Italian and after mum did some digging online she decided to grab some food at Gianni's Kitchen at Newstead. I had actually been super keen to try the steak at their sister store Florentine, but since she was fairly determined, we went there for dinner.


Walking there from work would have been an enjoyable stroll had it not been for the rain and wind. Luckily for me, we were seated inside, close enough to experience the warmth of the wood fired pizza oven.



The menu contained pretty much everything you would expect from an Italian Restaurant, a good selection of antipasti, pizza and pasta along with some main dishes. 

  

Starting with drinks, my companions had an Aperol Spritz and a Menabrea whilst I had the Gianni Spritz. These were refreshing and appetizing. I particularly enjoyed how the spritz wasn't very sweet and was very crisp.


Starting off with shared entrees, these came out fairly quickly.


First up was the Caprese Deluxe, it contained Mozzarella di bufala, parma ham, tomato, basil and extra virgin olive oil. In retrospect, a cold platter wasn't exactly the best move on a cold night. Having said that, it contained an ample serve of creamy mozarella, fresh sweet tomato and thinly sliced salty parma, each element a perfect combination for the others.


Thankfully our second entree was served hot. This was the Calamari Fritti served with rocket and aioli. Freshly fried, the calamari was tender and moist. The batter didn't cling too well to the meat, but that wasn't too much of a hassle as we ate it fairly quickly. I liked that there was an ample amount of rocket to the dish which gave it some freshness.


Mains came soon after the entrees. This was the Saute Di Cozze Rosse Mussel broth in a fresh tomato sauce and chilli served with ciabatta bread. As with most mussel dishes, it was quite impressive in size, but the majority of space was of course filled with mussel shells. Having said that, this dish did actually come with an ample amount of musssel flesh, and the tomato sauce was very hearty and wholesome, especially with the sourdough.


My other companion had the Petto Di Pollo Con Provola, a Chicken breast topped with provola cheese served with potato puree and porcini mushroom sauce. Starting with the potato, this tasted a bit processed rather than fresh. The chicken breast was a little on the small side, but the crumbs were crispy. Mushroom sauce added a lot of comfort to the dish as well.


Having pizza on my mind since I saw the wood fired oven, I ordered the Squisita.  Mozzarella, truffle paste, mushroom, parma ham, shaved pecorino. The dough was not bad, it was a tad more dense than the fluffier ones I've had at Julius or Sugo Mi, but I didn't mind it. The toppings were abundant but could have been closer to the edge. As always, truffle paste is a winner in my books along with stringy mozzarella.


Price Range: $45 - $55pp

Taste: 7/10
Value: 7/10
Service: 7/10
Environment: 7/10
Gianni's Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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