Cirelli & Co
454 Albion Street, Brunswick West
03 8899 6641
Italian
$$
Food
- Fried Calzone
- Spaghetti Marinara
- Mushroom Ravioli
- Tiramisu
- Cannoli
The Good
It was a tasty beginning with the stunning, gigantic Fried Calzone. The 96hour fermented dough was fried to a perfect golden brown, light and crisp without being oily. Within sat a pool of rich, flavoursome Napoli sauce, well complemented by meatballs and plenty of melted cheese. While the meatballs themselves were unremarkable, the whole novelty of a fried calzone offering such interesting textures definitely made it enjoyable.
The Mushroom Ravioli was simple yet delicious. There’s no doubt that the sauce was the star of the dish, heavily laden with slices of juicy mushroom, the fragrant, creamy mushroom sauce was thick and rich. Abundantly coating each parcel of delicate ravioli, each filled with spinach and ricotta ensured plenty of flavour throughout despite the absence of meat in the dish.
We rounded off the evening on a sweet note with the classic Tiramisu and Cannoli. The Cannoli were certainly some of the best we’ve come across in Melbourne, it’s crisp, brittle shell generously filled with such a silly, creamy ricotta. Coated with a beautiful chocolate and topped with crunchy pistachio, these giant cannoli no doubt satisfied our sweet tooth.
We also enjoyed our Tiramisu, which was apparently made fresh on the day. Despite its humble appearance, the thick, creamy layers coupled with espresso-soaked biscotti and dusted with chocolate powder certainly impressed.
The Mediocre
The Spaghetti Marinara unfortunately failed to impress. Despite the spaghetti itself cooked just right al dente with just the right amount of chewiness, the whole dish simply lacked flare and flavour. The extremely fishy sensation was overwhelming, and the mussels weren’t the freshest either. Combined with a thin, watery sauce, this dish disappointed even our most avid marinara lover.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
Located off the beaten track in the sleepy suburban parts of Brunswick West, Cirelli and Co impresses the locals with an authentic taste of Italy.
While admittedly there are couple of tidbits here and there that could definitely do with some refinement, however when they do manage get it just right, wow was it a show-stopper in and of itself, and definitely impressed the hell out of us!
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Sure. We’d love to be back for more cannoli and ravioli please!
Penguineats would like to thank owner David for inviting us to Cirelli and Co.