La Svolta

To celebrate the arrival of balmy summer nights, an exciting new menu and outdoor dining terrace, I was invited to the exclusive unveiling of La Svolta’s estate Italiana all’aperto. Complete with a live Italian band playing into the evening, it was a night that excited the senses to indulge in a traditional Italian affair.

 Arancini Balls

Baby Snapper Skewers

Prosciutto with Deep Fried Pizza Dough

Pizza Porcini e Speck

Pizza Margherita

Pizza Campania

Food is genuine - their menu based on old family recipes that have been passed down through generations. The menu delights us with a mouth-watering Seared Tuna with a sesame seed crust, Baby Snapper Skewers to lip smacking Beef Carpaccio involtini with rocket, parmagiano & balsamic reduction.

The pizza ? Bellissimo. La Svolta is one of the nine places in Australia accredited by the Naples official pizza body, Associazione Versace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN). This ensures their pizzas are the best of the best, made using traditional techniques with love.

Soft, chewy and fragrant, the pizzas were the highlights of the night. The outer puffed edges are beautifully charred and the centre, molten with sauce and cheese – reminiscent of those in Naples. Toppings are minimally topped with the finest and freshest ingredients, striking a careful balance among crust, sauce, and cheese resulting in gorgeous flavours and texture to the pizza.

La Svolta's outdoor dining terrace will be open to the public every Saturday and Sunday evening from 6.00pm, where you can sit back, relax and enjoy good food in the sun. Go say ciao today !

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of ID Collective and La Svolta

La Svolta

3-5 Cecil Place  

Prahran, VIC 3181

Read More

Vapiano - Awaken your Tastebuds Giveaway

In celebration of Vapiano’s New Spring Specials, Confessions of a Little Piggy have partnered with Vapiano to AWAKEN YOUR TASTEBUDS ! We are hosting a giveaway to reward 4 little piggies to a scrumptious meal at Vapiano Melbourne.

Each voucher gives the right to the winner and a friend to one free main each (from their new Spring menu) and a White Choc Cheesecake each.

So what’s on their Spring Menu ?

Take a leap into these flavours of spring with their specials: 

Pizza Poporano featuring Bresaola - a premium Aussie air-dried salted beef garnished with parmesan and a drizzle of truffle olive oil. There’s Pasta Gamberi Con Rosso with juicy prawns and homemade sun-dried tomato pesto and creamy Risotto Pollo Levanto with chicken and bacon. Their spring soup is a Classic Pumpkin, and rounding out the specials is a decadent White Chocolate Cheesecake with gooey salted caramel sauce and bites of crunchy honeycomb !


So how do I win ?

1. Like Confessions of a Little Piggy on Facebook

2. Tag a friend you would like to visit Vapiano with (Comment on Facebook).
It’s too easy ! Please make sure you've done both of these things before Wednesday midnight October 8th 2014 for your chance to win one of these amazing prizes !

Giveaway Terms and Conditions:

• This competition is open to Melbournians only and is only valid at Vapiano Melbourne before October 31st. (the voucher is not valid at any other Vapiano restaurants).
• Entries are open until Wednesday, October 8th at midnight AEST. 
• Winners will be notified through Facebook on Thursday October 9th, and winners’ postal address will need to be provided to confessionsofalittlepiggy@gmail.com within 48 hours. 
• Each winner will receive a Vapiano voucher which entitles them and a friend a main dish from Vapiano’s New Spring menu and a White Choc Cheesecake each. 
• The prize is valid until October 31st 2014.

Vapiano Melbourne

347 Flinders Lane  

Melbourne, VIC 3000

Read More

MELT Pizza

When pizza was first invented in Naples over 200 years ago, it was fast and nutritious. Today, with MELT Pizzas’ fresh take on the old classics, it still is.

With MELT as Chapel Street’s latest pizzeria, Windsor residents can now be really picky about their pizza. And I must say, MELT is perfect for the health-conscious. Light dough (no oil, fat or sugar), fresh local produce, all wood-fired in a 400 degree stone oven for 2 minutes – that’s faster than a cup of 2-minute noodles ! No doubt, your taste buds and body will be thanking you after a meal here.

Customised Pizza

For pizzas, we had the choice to pick from their ‘Classics’ or to ‘Customise’ our own. I love playing around with flavours, so when given the opportunity, DIY is the way to go. Starting with a basil pine nut pesto, we complemented our pizza-baby with spinach, roasted pumpkin, Meredith goats cheese, fresh mozzarella and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. In the oven it went, and literally 2 minutes later, out popped our freshly wood-fired pizza. We adored this wholesome pizza with its crispy chewy base.

Superfood

We also nourished our bodies with a salad of spinach, oven roasted sweet potato, beetroot, broccoli, red quinoa, white quinoa, red rice, pepitas, sunflower seeds, almond flakes dolloped with a yoghurt and a nutty tahini dressing. This pleasantly crunchy super salad offered a wholesome earthy flavour and savoury appeal. What I would have loved for though, was a little more seasoning and perhaps a larger bowl to contain all the goodness this salad offers together.

Meatballs

The more carnivorous side of us enjoyed the Meatballs. Piping hot out of the oven, the grass fed free range beef meatballs sizzled in a spicy tomato sauce and melty cheese. They were exactly what we had hoped for – soaking up the richness of the sauce, the balls were juicy and flavoursome.

The guys here at MELT Pizza take their food very seriously, and it is easy to see they are passionate about what they do. Service is warm and friendly, with staff more than happy to stop by for a chat and laugh. What stood out to me the most was the philosophy of the food, which just adds that extra touch to feel a little more connected with the food on your plate.

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of MELT Pizza

MELT Pizza

171 Chapel Street

Windsor, VIC

Read More

Vapiano

With over 135 restaurants in 26 countries, it was about time Vapiano made it's way to Melbourne. Popping up just over a year ago, Vapiano is an innovative European concept - celebrating traditional Italian recipes and bringing them to life with some good ol' Aussie know-how. Let's not forget how effortlessly snazzy the space is - warm lighting, chic furniture with fresh spots of greenery here and there.

Ordering is made easy here - make your way to your station of choose (pizza, pasta, drinks), order directly from the chefs and tap your Vapiano Chip Card (provided upon arrival). Then what ? Watch as your meal is cooked right before your eyes. Essentially, a fancy canteen for grown-ups !

Pizza Bianco

I ordered the Pizza Bianco - a white pizza, which was a welcomed change from your usual traditional heavy-on tomato based pizzas. Smeared with a rich garlic cream sauce, delicate slices of rosemary infused potato and mozzarella, the flavours were spot on. Though the pizza base had a nice chew to it, I wished they had left it in the oven a tad longer for a golden exterior to develop. 

Pizza Barbecue Pollo

Straight out of the oven, the Pizza Barbecue Pollo smelt wonderful, with it's smokey aroma wafting through the air. Layer upon layer, there was a base of homemade tomato and barbecue sauce scattered with chicken breast, red onions, smoked cheese and mozzarella. A delightful mouthful, though we felt they could have been much more generous with the chicken. 

All'Arrabbiata

With over 10 freshly made pasta options and 17 tempting sauces to choose from, I couldn't blame my friend for taking a little longer to choose what he wanted. In the end, he opted for linguine with a classic all'arrabbiata sauce. The thin flat strands of pasta were cooked to al dente, pairing beautifully with the vibrant spicy sauce. Quoting him word for word, he commented that this dish held a divine spicy aftertaste which was very "sapid."

Pollo e Spinaci

My other friend went for the Pollo e Spinaci - each individual ribbon of tagliatelle coated in a well balanced sauce of homamade basil pesto and cream, tossed with tender chicken breast peices, fresh spinach and paremeson. Though rather under-seasoned, she still enjoyed this dish. 

What I enjoyed most about Vapiano if that there is a focus placed firmly on freshness - with all fruits, vegetables and herbs sourced from farms locally within the states. I mean, there's a mini herb garden at every table - how much more fresh can you get than that ?

Overall, we had a lot of fun at Vapiano and whilst the concept of an up-market canteen was pleasant, I cannot say I will be rushing back anytime soon. Perhaps it's  my penchant for much more exciting and bolder flavours, Vapiano simply did not win me over. But for the less selective, this may just be up your alley.

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of Open Haus and Vapiano

Vapiano
347 Flinders Lane  
Melbourne, VIC 

Read More

D.O.C. Pizza & Mozzarella Bar

My friend and I were only in for a quick bite, but from the moment we set foot into D.O.C. Pizza & Mozzarella Bar, we instantly felt the electrifying energy - from the vibrant buzz of the open-kitchen, the exuberant Italian culture to the smell of fresh pizza wafting through the air. We could not wait for dig in.

Pizza Speck

The pizza was soft, foldable and satisfyingly chewy, whilst the flavours of paper thin smoked prosciutto, woody wild mushrooms, fontina cheese and thyme were all individually spot on. However, when combined, we found it far too salty - just one slice had me downing glasses of water. 

So overall, what did I think of D.O.C. Pizza & Mozzarella Bar ? The pizza was good - I can say that. They keep it simple here - offering a great range of wholesome pizzas topped with quality imported ingredients. Service was effiicient - loud and outrageous in the genuine style that is Italian hospitality. If only I hadn't left so extremely parched from all that accumulated sodium.

D.O.C. Pizza & Mozzarella Bar

295 Drummond Street

Carlton, VIC

Read More

Jamie's Italian & Ladurée

Jamie's Italian was the name that popped up over and over again when I had asked for suggestions on where to eat in Sydney.  Jamie Oliver. Italian. Jamie's Italian - sounds good. With that said, it seemed like an obvious choice to check them out for lunch on the second day of our SydyCity trip. 

The lively ambience of Jamie's Italian was captivating - a narrow space that seemed to go on forever, dimly lit light fittings, and buzzing on a rainy Friday afternoon. 

Crispy Tomato & Mozzarella Arancini

I had been eyeing off these arancini balls 878 km away in Melbourne, and was ecstatic to try them. Stuffed with rich and creamy risotto, these great balls of fire sat on a bed of spicy arrabbiata sauce, topped with pickled red chillies. Wonderfully crisp on the outside, and soft on the inside, these were devoured in no time. We soaked chunks of ciabatta in the leftover sauce which left a warm sensation over our lips as we waited for our mains.

Black Angel Spaghetti

Freshly made on the premises every day, the squid ink pasta was black, rich and deeply flavoured. Its briny flavour was full bodied and highlighted with the sweet and plump scallops. The al dente noodles and scallops shared the stage with garlic, chilli, anchovies, wine and capers. With the anchovies and capers already dotted throughout the dish, they were perhaps a little too heavy on the salt.

Land & Sea Risotto

The rice itself was very well-cooked and plump which soaked up the lovely seafood stock. From the land came Italian sausage and pancetta. Hailing from the sea, were mussels and clams, which were all tossed with white wine, black olives, sweet baby tomatoes and field mushrooms. I liked that the mushrooms added hints of earthiness to the dish, however, again found the dish much too salty. We did finish the dish though, with plenty of water. 

Overall, Jamie's Italian did not wow me. Unfortunately, we either came at a bad time, chose the wrong dishes or perhaps I was just too ambitious. Though I may not have been blown away with the food, it was still a fabulous lunch with wonderful company in the heart of Sydney.

Jamie's Italian
107 Pitt Street
Sydney, NSW

A short leisurely walk later, we arrived at Westfield for a hit of sugar and caffeine at French luxury bakery, Ladurée.

Considered one of the best known makers of macarons in the world, Ladurée's Chocolate Coconut Marshmallow Macaron tasted exactly as it sounds like - a soft and spongey like marshmallow sandwiched between a crispy shell-like crust and soft chewy meringue. 

The question is, would I return for Ladurée macarons ? Most likely not - I find Zumbo, LuxBite and La Belle Miette offer much more consistent and interesting macarons at more reasonable prices. It also helps that they are much more closer to home.

Ladurée

Level 3 Westfield Sydney

Corner Of Pitt St Mall & Market Street

Sydney, NSW

Read More

The Meatball and Wine Bar

The first time A and I tried to dine at The Meatball and Wine Bar on Flinders Lane, we were unsuccessful. Luckily for us, it's Richmond twin was much more accommodating, and from the moment we sat down - we knew we were in for a ball.

Our waitress introduced the specials of the day and explained how to go about in choosing our 'Balls & All'. Pick your preferred balls (pork, beef, chicken, fish, or vegetarian), sauce them up (red italian tomato, white creamy, or green pesto salsa verde), and give the balls something to rest on (Italian beans, polenta, potato smash, pasta, or something veg). 

Pork Balls with Green on Polenta

The kurobuta pork balls (think wagyu of pork), minced together with fennel seeds, sage and orange rind were delicious. These balls were nestled in a smooth comforting polenta, draped in a green pesto salsa verde, and speckled with grated parmesan.

Halloween Balls

We also ordered the Special of the Day, which were the Halloween Balls - a pair of large lamb shoulder balls, served with a creamy white sauce atop richly buttered risoni. Adding some crunch were a handful of roughly chopped hazelnuts and the sweet pop of drunken raisins and roasted pumpkin.

Hip and happening atmosphere, warm and attentive atmosphere, drool worthy balls, and pun heaven - what else do you need ? Our experience at The Meatball and Wine Bar was amazeballs.

The Meatball and Wine Bar

105 Swan Street
Richmond, Vic

Read More

Ladro Greville

For the birthday girl's pizza weekend adventure, landed us at Ladro on a Friday night.  After our  initial struggles with parking and being mislead by the iPhone maps, we finally made it. 

Now, I have to admit, we had to have a lot of help with ordering. Help from Google that is. Amongst our conversation, every second question was "Hey .. what's *insert italian word* ?" With Google on our side, and the clock ticking away, we finally decided to choose a main each to share.

Gnocchi al Forno

Out first, came the Gnocchi al Forno. The gnocchi was submerged in a rich San Marzano tomato sugo sauce, cheesy bufala, parmigiano and topped with basil. The sweetness of the tomatoes came through and as always, went beautifully with the cheeses and basil. However, I did find the gnocchi to be a little overcooked, resulting in overly soft gnocchi.

Risi e bisi

Described to be a Venetian classic, came our next dish of risi e bisi, most commonly known as rissotto. I loved how the pea's vibrant green colours came out and gave the dish a happy feel. Cooked and fully packed with flavour, this dish of rice, peas, pancetta, shallots was a creamy dream.

'I do not like green eggs and ham

 I do not like them

 Jen-I-Am

Gamberi Piselli

tomato, lemon garlic prawns, peas, chilli, basil

Porcini

fior di latte, taleggio, porcini, basil, pangrattato

Scout's Pizza

tomato, taleggio, caramelised onion, basil, dressed rocket, parmigiano

And finally onto what Ladro is famous for - the Pizza !

And no, they did not disappoint. The base was perfect, thin, pillowy and a little chewy. With fresh toppings and ingredients, and well balanced flavours, it ticked all the right boxes. They were all delicious yet light, which didn't make me feel guilty for having so many slices !

Our experience at Ladro was fantastic. Relaxed atmosphere, attentive staff, and tasty pizzas was all we needed, and was what we got. 

Ladro Greville

162 Greville Street 
Prahran

And being so close by, we ended the night at Yo-Chi. I told you I'd be back for you !

Yo-chi
292 Carlisle St 
Balaclava

Read More