A sunny Saturday and Steve made reservations at Giuseppe Arnaldo & Sons for us to enjoy a long leisurely lunch. Unlike many of the restaurants in the Crown complex this one has no terrace or any outside seating so it almost seems a waste of a sunny day to go but we decided that the lure of good food inside is way better than bad food outside! Plus we wanted to try somewhere new.
We arrived at 2pm for a late lunch and it was pretty quiet. The restaurant is spacious but can be dark. They offer a few house wines served by the carafe. Tucked in a corner is a wall with 4 or 5 taps and the wine comes from there. All very Italian and quasi rustic.
We arrived at 2pm for a late lunch and it was pretty quiet. The restaurant is spacious but can be dark. They offer a few house wines served by the carafe. Tucked in a corner is a wall with 4 or 5 taps and the wine comes from there. All very Italian and quasi rustic.
We started with some prosciutto produced by Robert Marchetti handmade with 100% Black Berkshire pigs with traditional spices and curing techniques. It was slippy and fatty and gently salted; a far cry from the vacuum packed stuff in the supermarket. We also had yellow fin tuna crostini with marjoram, chilli and lemon. The tuna was squeaky fresh and the crostini crisp and slightly charred. The delicate seasoning was a delight. Yum!
I was recommended the arancini balls by a colleague with great food taste so we had to try those. Described on the menu as“Arancini”, Crumbed Silver Beet, Spinach Risotto Ball. They looked quite well done when they arrived but they cracked open easily and inside they were oozy and gooey and cheesy. Perfect!
I was recommended the arancini balls by a colleague with great food taste so we had to try those. Described on the menu as“Arancini”, Crumbed Silver Beet, Spinach Risotto Ball. They looked quite well done when they arrived but they cracked open easily and inside they were oozy and gooey and cheesy. Perfect!
Main courses were a Spaghetti“Arrabbiata” with crab, tomato, chilli baked in a paper bag and Ravioli alla Marchigiana" described as "ravioli filled with a five hour ragu of pork & veal in a burnt butter, sage sauce, finished with black truffle pecorino. I had the spaghetti and it was delicious. The pasta was al dente just like in Italy and the tomato sauce rich with a tongue tingling chilli heat. The crab added a little bit of sweetness. An extra grind of sea salt perfected it.
Steve's ravioli looked like a small portion but it was incredibly rich with a very meaty filling. The meat was chunky and a proper ragu and not the usual blended mush that appears in ravioli or tortellini.
The litre carafe of red wine we ordered helped wash all this down and soon we were down to our final glass. Rather than go for dessert, Steve wanted some cheese so we ordered a serve of “Rocca Reggiano”, known as the king of Reggiano aged for 3 years. It came with celery and some "paper bread"; basically very thin crispy wafer bread like super thin filo pastry. The cheese was rich and flavoursome and great end to the meal accompanied by the red wine.
We really enjoyed Giuseppe Arnaldo. It's a great Winter restaurant where sitting outside is no longer an option. It's produce speaks for itself and when the dishes require cooking they come out tasty.
Service was unobtrusive, not exactly friendly but then not aloof either so it's the food that is the star of the show.
Steve's ravioli looked like a small portion but it was incredibly rich with a very meaty filling. The meat was chunky and a proper ragu and not the usual blended mush that appears in ravioli or tortellini.
The litre carafe of red wine we ordered helped wash all this down and soon we were down to our final glass. Rather than go for dessert, Steve wanted some cheese so we ordered a serve of “Rocca Reggiano”, known as the king of Reggiano aged for 3 years. It came with celery and some "paper bread"; basically very thin crispy wafer bread like super thin filo pastry. The cheese was rich and flavoursome and great end to the meal accompanied by the red wine.
We really enjoyed Giuseppe Arnaldo. It's a great Winter restaurant where sitting outside is no longer an option. It's produce speaks for itself and when the dishes require cooking they come out tasty.
Service was unobtrusive, not exactly friendly but then not aloof either so it's the food that is the star of the show.
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