Before I’d even opened the menu, La Cantina had won me over. From the dark timber floors, to the exposed brick walls and hanging, uncovered light bulbs casting intriguing shadows across the walls, the Narrabundah venue is the perfect blend of modern, industrial and inviting. Rich aromas waft through the restaurant, many of them originating from the large wood-fired oven which is visible from the dining area.
Visiting on a Monday night, my friend and I were seated and left to browse the menu which features a mix of modern and traditional Italian cuisine.
We started the evening with some bread, deciding to sample the Foccacia and Bruschetta. Flavoured with rosemary and sea salt and drizzled with olive oil, the Foccacia was simple and absolutely delicious. Be sure to share it amongst a few of you, as it is incredibly moreish and would be easy to fill up on bread before even glancing at the business end of the menu.
The Bruschetta was crunchy, fresh wood fired bread topped with vine-ripened tomato and basil. The incredibly flavoursome tomatoes really stood out, and the dish was perfect with a light covering of cracked pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
For entree, we tasted a selection of oysters, as well as a quail dish. ‘Ostriche’ was freshly shucked South Coast Sydney Rock Oysters with baby fennel, parsely and orange salad. The dish was incredibly fresh with a real citrusy zing, and was enjoyable for those who aren’t usually much of an oyster fan. We were also given a taste of an oyster from the specials menu, served with light potato masg, caramelized shallots and imported San Daniele prosciutto from Parma in Italy.
The Quaglia Satimbocca was wood roasted quail with pancetta on a salad of pearl barley, organic chick pea and Chianti dressing. The salad in particular was a really interesting combination of flavours.
To go with our entrees, we tried the Blackbilly Pinot Gris from South Australia, which really infused the flavours of the dishes.
Choosing mains proved difficult and we spent quite a while deliberating over whether to get pasta, pizza, or a meat dish. Both my dining partner and I had finally settled on our selections, when our waiter read us that night’s particular specials, and our selections went out the window, both settling on dishes from the specials menu.
The fish of the day was incredibly moist roasted barramundi fillet served with brussel sprouts, pancetta, truss tomatoes and delicious house made potato gnocci.
The housemade tagliatelle pasta was served with slowly braised organic chicken, shitake mushrooms, baby spinach and finished with pecorino cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. A particular highlight of the dish was the confit garlic, which melted like butter. Unlike some similar pasta dishes on the creamy side, the sauce in this dish serves purely as a lubricant and doesn’t take away from all of the other flavours in the dish. All of the pastas on the menu are also available as an entrée, and this particular dish would suit as a starter as it’s surprisingly light and not too overwhelming.
To accompany our mains, we drank the Pinto Grigio Italian Corte Giara Pinot Grigio from the Veneto region of Italy. It was a bit sweeter than the Pinot Gris, but was a great food wine and really complimented our meals.
When choosing dessert at any Italian restaurant, it tends to be hard to go past the traditional favourites, and this particular visit was no exception. Served in a coffee cup, La Cantina’s Tiramisu was made using Celestino coffee, which is a rich a creamy blend roasted by the restaurant’s owners. The dish is also served with a shot of masala, which is the liqueur traditionally used in Tiramisu, and you can choose to add extra to your dessert depending on your tastes. If you enjoy
The Trio di Cioccolato was as indulgent as the name suggests, with Semifreddo, Chocolate torte and a profiterole. The Semifreddo came with a truffle honey which gave the creamy dessert a real kick. The choc torte was dark, rich and delicious, and even for an absolutely chocoholic required a great deal of water to get through.
I was instantly won over by the charm of this restaurant, and as the courses arrived, each continued to impress. Open Monday to Saturday for dinner, and during the week for lunch, treat yourself to the intimate Italian hospitality and cuisine at La Cantina.
Photography: Chris Whitfield.
