Ladro
224 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy
03 9415 7575
Italian
$$$
Food
- Sicilian Chicken Ribs
- Spring Pea Arancini
- BadaBing
- Margherita
- Pannacotta
- Tiramisu
The Good
It was off to an appetising start with the Sicilian Chicken Ribs and the Spring Pea Arancini. The Chicken Ribs were fried to a perfect crisp, it’s thick battered outer offered up a fantastic crunch and coated with a sweet, sticky chilli glaze that was muted in spice. The chicken itself was suitably tender and juicy, well accompanied by a fresh, crisp slaw.
The Arancini were also enjoyable. The light outer crust enclosed a soft, pillowy inner of rice, peas and tasty provolone cheese.
The mains were nothing short of impressive. The BadaBing most definitely stole the show though, generously topped with gorgeous chunks of pork and fennel sausage and chunks of porcini mushrooms. This was accompanied by plenty of oregano and basil, offering up an incredibly fragrant and aromatic sensation throughout. Holding it altogether was the thin, crisp base that offered up a satisfying crunch at the crust, dressed with a tasty tomato base and topped with a beautiful provolone cheese. The flavour profile was simply phenomenal.
The simple yet elegant Margherita dos not disappoint either. The thin, crisp base once again formed a good foundation for the pizza. On top, the tomato base was well balanced in sweetness and acidity. With melted chunks of bufala mozzarella and accompanied by such tender and silky soft slices of prosciutto, the simple pleasures of enjoying a Roman style pizza simply doesn’t get much better than this.
We rounded off our meal with the Tiramisu and Pannacotta.
The Tiramisu was topped with a generous helping of chocolate shavings. Underneath sat beautiful layers of well-soaked Savioardi biscuits offering a soft, spongy sensation. This was coupled with some incredibly creamy yet slightly airy mascarpone that was well contrasted by the popping sensation thanks to the popping candy scattered on top.
The Vanilla Bean Panacotta was equally enjoyable. The panna cotta itself was simply sensational, amazingly jiggly and just so silky smooth. We found the sweetness well behaved, allowing for the bold vanilla flavour to take the spotlight. The creamy richness of each bite was perfectly juxtaposed by the tangy blood organs compote. Delicious.
The Mediocre
Nothing.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
We are glad to have finally paid a visit to this true Melbourne icon. For more than 15 years, Ladro has offered Melbournians an authentic taste of Italy with their impeccable Roman pizzas and indulgent classical desserts.
Today, they are celebrating their 15th birthday by popping up at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Most definitely. The winner for us? The BadaBing for sure!
Penguineats would like to thank Grand Hyatt for inviting us to Ladro Checks In at Collins Kitchen.