Italy by the bay
Reporter: Felicity Urquhart
Eating Out Competition…
You could be “livin’ la dolce vita” on us because Sydney Weekender is giving away an Italian meal for two at Cucina Viscontini and Oliveto Ristoarante And Bar. All you’ve got to do to be in the running is call our competition line on 1902 55 77 08 and good luck! M.NET 55 cents max call cost. Mobile phones extra. |
You don’t need a ticket to Rome to get great Italian fare - just head to the bay and see what washes up…
Cucina Viscontini
It may sound like you need a map of Europe to locate the Italian Restaurant ‘Cucina Viscontini’ in The Piazza. It’s on Amalfi Drive, near Santorini, across the way from Portofino, and around the corner from Mykonos, Monaco and Monte Carlo.
But in fact the restaurant/deli/bakery/fine food emporium/gelataria/liquor store is in the emerging suburb of Homebush Bay within a discus throw from Olympic Stadium.
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Roberto and Rita Viscontini have owned Cucina Viscontini for 3 years and they run it along with their daughter Vanessa and son Valerio. The Viscontinis opened their first restaurant, Il Tratto Ra Ro in Paddington in 1990 then opened up another restaurant of the same name in Concord.
Rita is the cook of the family while Roberto makes so much of a mess he’s now confined to the outdoor barbecue. The Viscontinis have also hired Italian chef Fabio Durpetti in the last 6 months to help out in the kitchen. Rita still bakes all the cakes including everyone’s favourite – the baked ricotta cheese cake.
The cuisine ranges from pastas and traditional square-shaped pizza by the slice (‘al taglio’) to scrumptious seafood. Cucina Viscontini is refreshingly trattoria-style without pretension.
Cucina Viscontini nestles under magnificent shade trees and colourful canvas awnings on cobblestone walkways in the retail heart of a $1.9 billion dollar residential village named The Waterfront. Here the buildings are as Italian as the food at Cucina Viscontini with names like Capri, Bellagio, Valencia, Napoli, Palermo, Rimini, Torino, Positano and Sorrento.
The restaurant provides family-run hospitality and an extensive selection of nutritious home-cooked fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The Roman Emperor’s Breakfast is sure to satisfy the most hearty of appetites with a choice of eggs with bacon, tomato, Italian pork sausage, mushroom, potato cakes and toasted ciabatta.
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The lunch and dinner menus include antipasto Italiano, a choice of 10 salads, cozze which is black mussels in a variety of sauces, gamberoni alla griglia the grilled king prawns, calamari fritti, polpi piccanti baby octopus, fish of the day, plus daily specials.
Cucina’s emporium offers fine food products and produce from all over Europe, such as olive oils, balsamic vinegars, sauces, cheeses, organic pasta, rice, beans, tinned tomatoes, smallgoods, fruit, vegetables, a range of coffees and loose leaf teas – all the exotic extras you can’t find on standard supermarket shelves.
The restaurant’s décor is stylish yet simple, the dining experience fun, and the dishes authentic and flavoursome. Cucina’s friendly, attentive staff add to the easy-paced atmosphere, which fits into the Waterfront’s relaxed rhythm of life.
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Some of the dishes you may find on the menu:
Breakfast
- Roman Emperor’s Breakfast - your choice of eggs with bacon, tomato, Italian pork sausage, mushroom and potato cakes served with toasted ciabatta
- Poached eggs with asparagus, burned sage butter & toasted ciabatta
- Waffles with strawberries & Camp maple syrup
- Nannata of whitebait, mackerel & crab served with cucumber aioli
Lunch
- Cozze black mussels in tomato & chilli sauce served
- Salsicce Panini grilled Italian pork sausage, baby spinach, roasted tomato & smoked mozzarella
- Costolette D’agnello Al Porto lamb cutlets in a port sauce served with roasted new potatoes
- Prawn & Asparagus Ravioli homemade with vongole & cherry tomato
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More Information Cucina Viscontini The Waterfront Off Bennelong Parkway, Homebush Bay Telephone: (02) 9739 8888 Open for breakfast and lunch every day and for dinner Thursday to Saturday. Mains start from $16. |
Prices correct as at 17/05/08
Oliveto Ristorante & Bar
Oliveto Ristorante & Bar is a family run restaurant with father Tony Colosi, brother Charlie Colosi, sister Carmen Milozzi and her husband, who is also the manager, Alessandro Milozzi. The Colosi family are the same family behind Grappa Restaurant in Norton St Leichhardt so they’re experts at serving up fantastic Italian food.
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Oliveto Ristorante & Bar has been open since 2005 and is a fully licensed drink & dine restaurant nestled in the parklands of Brays Bay Reserve. Oliveto enjoys a great regular lunch clientele who enjoy the peaceful water views of the bay and the fine Italian cuisine.
In the evening, the room transforms into a stylish dining space with subtle lighting and shimmers of the tranquil water views through the large glass windows all around the restaurant.
Oliveto’s position and large spaces make it perfect for family occasions with Sunday lunch, anniversaries, christenings, first communions a big hit at the restaurant.
Weddings are also very unique and special events held at the restaurant.
Being just 10 minutes from Stadium Australia and the Homebush Bay complex, early pre-event dinners can be arranged and large groups catered for.
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Some of the dishes you may find on the menu:
Entree
- Pappardelle beef cheeks
- Wood-fired pork & fennel sausages with raddichio, artichokes & black olives
- Marinated octopus & eggplant salad with red, yellow capsicum, capers & parsley
- Grilled scallops, with carrot puree, pancetta & crispy capers
Lunch
- Twice cooked half duck with grilled figs, pancetta & saba sauce
- Prosciutto pizza with semi dried tomatoes, black olives, rocket and shaved parmesan
- Grilled king fish with tomato, eggplant, roasted pinenuts & onion
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More Information Oliveto Ristorante & Bar Brays Bay Reserve 443 Concord Road, Rhodes Telephone: (02) 8765 0006 Open for lunch Monday to Friday and Sunday. Open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday. Mains start at $22. |
Prices correct as at 17/05/08