Cugini’s
350 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy North
0451 849 271
Italian
$$$
Food
- Pasta al Pomodoro
- Carbonara
- Alla Norma Pizza
- Cannoli
- Tiramisu
The Good
We were off to a fantastic start to our Italian feast with the Pasta al Pomodoro. Made with a 200 year old family recipe and stirred for 6 hours straight, this simple yet exquisite tomato based sauce was absolutely sensational. The rich, bold flavours and thick, almost creamy texture of the sauce beautifully coated the freshly made pappardelle pasta. With a tinge of spice thanks to the chilli flakes, the roasted garlic and fresh basil also provided plenty of fragrant goodness. In classic italian style, the pasta was served with pieces of bread to soak up the irresistible sauce. Simply perfect.
We also enjoyed the Carbonara. This Roman style pasta was made in the traditional Italian way, with an egg based sauce rather than cream. The result was absolutely spectacular, with a lovely eggy thickness that coated the el dente egg pappardelle. Within, we found chunks of aptly fatty, crisp guanciale offering bursts of flavourful goodness, topped with plenty of pepper to provide a hint of spice.
We also sampled the Alla Norma Pizza. Fresh from the wood fired oven, the many heat spots on the crust of our pizza were just gorgeous. The crisp outer and the soft and spongy inner provided the perfect texture contrast, an effect only achievable by a hot wood fire oven. The base was oncr again topped with the beautifully fragrant tomato base shared by the Pasta Pomodoro, which was accompanied by fresh tomato, eggplant and held together by beautifully melted mozzarella. With olives providing hits of salty sensation and topped with shaved parmesan, every mouthful was as delicious and irresistible as the next.
We rounded off our meal with the Cannoli and Tiramisu. The Tiramisu was a definite standout, offering just the right balance. It was neither too wet, nor dry. Neither too much cream nor too much biscuit. Not too bitter nor sweet. In other words, the perfect Tiramisu that made it simply irresistible.
The Mediocre
Nothing.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
It’s clear that Cugini’s is not your ordinary pizza joint. Owner Daniel aims to introduce authentic Italian comfort food to Melbournians by cooking up his family’s heirloom recipes dating back 200 years.
You can be sure to count on an authentic Italian experience that’s full flavoured and bold, fresh, and absolutely satisfying. Oh and the passionate and warmth of Italian hospitality can’t be forgotten either!
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Most Definitely!
Penguineats would like to thank Daniel for inviting us to Cugini’s.