Cucina & Co.
325 New Street, Brighton, Melbourne
03 8658 3136
Italian
$$$
Food
- Cheese Platter
- Charcuterie Board
- Arancini
- Spaghetti Gamberi
- Parma Pizza
- Cannoli
- Tiramisu
The Good
We were off to an flawless start at Cucina & Bar with a range of stunning antipasto and spritz. The gorgeous cheese platter and charcuterie board immediately impressed thanks to their generously loaded yet stunning plating. Our favourite from the cheeses included the every so delicate, so silky smooth and creamy mozzarella that simply melted away in your mouth, as well as the aptly pungent blue cheese that offered a good amount of bite and plenty of bold, unrelenting flavour.
The highlight from our charcuterie board was undoubtedly the prosciutto. Flown in from San Danielle in Italy, this was definitely some of the highest quality prosciutto to ever reach Australian shores. The thinly sliced protein carried great flavour and an amazing texture, and when combined with bits of melon, this was a match made in heaven!
The Arancini were equally delicious. The light yet crisp outer offered up a perfect crunch, making way for a soft and flavoursome inner filled with arborio rice, fragrant mushrooms and sweet peas.
We moved across the road to Cucina & Co. for the mains and started off with the Spaghetti Gamberi, which was absolutely delicious. The spaghetti itself was cooked to perfection, offering just the right texture and consistency. This was combined with plenty of sizeable prawns that were just so fresh and almost crunchy. Coupled with the thin slices of asparagus and sweet juiciness of cherry tomatoes, the light yet slightly spicy and every so tangy was the perfect sauce that held all the complements together. Such an appetising and flawlessly executed dish that just kept begging for one more mouthful!
We also enjoyed the pizzas. The Parma was just stunning. It’s puffy crust with beautiful, uneven heat spots cooked in a woodfired oven offered up an exceptionally fragrant experience. Chomping down, the thin base was topped with a rich and flavoursome Napoli sauce, which was accompanied by blobs of melted mozzarella and finished with thin, delicate slices of that same, divine prosciutto. Finished with some extra virgin olive oil and paired with leaves of basil, this was simply one of the best pizzas we’ve come across in Melbourne.
We were pretty stuffed at this point, but who are we to say no when a couple of friendly Italians insist you gotta try their Cannoli and Tiramisu?
In true classic Italian fashion, the Cannoli was just sensational. The crisp, outer shell was crunchy yet delicate. Crumbling effortlessly in your hand, the ricotta filling within was rich and creamy. This was combined with a touch of refreshing lemon flavour throughout, paying bondage to its Sicilian heritage.
We found the tiramisu rather delicious too. This classic, simply presented dessert was well balanced in sweet and bitter. The chocolate and coffee worked remarkably well together to create some amazing flavours, though the layers of cream and biscotti though felt a tad out of proportion. We would’ve definitely preferred more biscotti to balance out the cream.
The Mediocre
Nothing.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
Cucina and Co is a bustling little eatery located in Brighton that serves up the best of what Italy has on offer.
Run by a team of dedicated, welcoming and hospitable Italians, Cucina and Co offers patrons a thoroughly flawless and utterly irresistible Italian meal that’s as authentic as it can get.
Rest assured, you are bound to experience one of the best all-rounder Italian in your life!
Would Penguin Eat Again?
There is absolutely no question that we will be back!
Penguineats would like to thank owner Peter for inviting us to Cucina & Bar and Cucina & Co