Papa Rossi - Southbank

Having been through a busy couple of weeks, where I came down with the flu and then passed it on to Adam, we were looking forward to a nice quiet mid week date night. It was pleasing then, that as I was perusing where to plan our dinner, to have received an invitation to try out the newly opened Papa Rossi, situated along Grey Street where the highly controversial Cucina by Toscanis used to be located. That definitely piqued my curiosity.

Heading in at 6pm, we got one of the first tables of the night and the venue filled up super quickly. We had initially chosen a table outside, but due to the recent drop in temperature we soon decided to migrate inside.

Drinks and food menus were provided promptly. The food menu included quite a few classic Italian options of pizza and pasta with a few mains and desserts. 

With Adam coming late, I started off with a sparkling water and had the opportunity to sit and watch as the people passed by, not a bad way to wind down the night.

 

Drinks we shared that night included the Cappuccino Martini and a Prosecco. I liked the sweet cappuccino martini but usually have my drinks a little on the stronger side. The prosecco was dry, just as I like it and filled with bubbly happiness.

Our entrees came before Adam did. In fact it arrived within 20 mins of my having sat down, which was fairly fast.

Starting off with Arancini to start, these delectable rice balls were filled with beef, asiago cheese and mushrooms, topped with fresh rocket. Compared to other places, four arancini to one serve was generous, although the individual pieces were smaller than what we usually have. Topped with rich napoli sauce, it provided some freshness to a dish of classic comfort food.

Second entree to share was the Caparccio Di Manzo, cured eye fillet thinly sliced and drizzled with EVOO and lemon juice topped with rocket and shaved Parmesan. The eye fillet was definitely very smooth and tender. We really enjoyed the rich textures coupled with the sharp tang of parmesan cheese. Again, portions were very generous, especially for an entree.

For those who are unaware, I often find the best seat in the house is the one next to the kitchen where one can sit and appreciate the chefs in action. Tonight was no different.

Our mains came within 15 mins of our entrees being whisked away, again, fairly quick.

Adam's main as chosen by me was the Linguine Moreton Bay Bugs with fresh chilli, vodka and white wine sauce, spinach and parsley. The portion was very generous and the pasta was served al dente. Although there were only two discernible halves of bug on the plate, there were considerable amounts of bug meat mixed in with the pasta. Although the spinach and parsley were fragrant, I think the dish would definitely have needed some extra flavour by way of chopped tomatoes or potentially sauce, nevertheless, Adam still enjoyed it.

Without too much hesitation, I gravitated towards my usual choice of Lasagna. Comprised of layers of beef mince, bechamel layered sauce, parmesan and cheese and mozzarella served with pear salad. The pasta was definitely softer than Adam's linguine, and had soaked up much of the strong napoli sauce. Again the portion was fairly generous and I had to share a bit with Adam to finish it. As for the pear and walnut side salad, it was crisp, fresh and made for a light accompaniment to my lasagna.

To share we also had an Insalata del campo with mixed leaf green salad, with onion, cucumber, tomato and EVOO. Consisting of all my favorite veggies, this was definitely a crisp and delicious winner.

Although we were full, no meal ends without dessert for Adam, so we had a Tiramisu to share. Sweet and lightly caffeinated, it was a nice way to round off the meal.

Espresso and Matcha were invited guests of Papa Rossi, however as always our opinions are solely our own. 

Price Range: $30 - $50pp

Taste: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Environment: 7/10