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