It was my husband Tony's birthday and I managed to drag him away from the office to have lunch - destination Mario's.
A famous little cafe-style Italian pasta joint on Brunswick Street (number 303), Mario's is very Fitzroy with grungy decor, lots of small tables with white tablecloths and bar stools in the front window where you can people-watch in the best street for it.
Our waiter was very well spoken and smartly dressed and really very very good. The atmosphere was relaxed, but the service bang on - we didn't even look at the menu, we just asked him what he'd recommend.
We started with a couple of drinks and some bruschetta, with a fine layer of beautiful goats cheese (Liz - don't screw your nose up like that!) and thinly sliced roast pumpkin, finished with oilve oil and roquette, simple and fresh, and really yummy.
For our mains, Tony had the Penne Matriciana, one of his all-time favourites, and it didn't disappoint, probably the best I've ever tasted - perfectly balanced, sweet and bitey, just enough spice. Did the tomatoes come from Italy? They were so tasty and I was almost transported there.
I had the roast chicken, pumpkin and pine nut ravioli, with a beautiful white wine, tomato and cream sauce. There were three large ravioli, so light and soft they reminded me of silk handkerchiefs, filled with heaven. The filling was gorgeous with roast chicken, pumpkin and ricotta, the pine nuts giving it crunch and texture. The sauce - oh my god. Divine. I don't even want to know how much butter went in to make it that good. But even Tony, who has such distain for my love of butter, didn't find it too rich. How do they do that?
Honestly it was the best pasta meal I've had as long as I can remember, and with a couple of wines under our belts, we were all set for a lovely afternoon - Tony back to work and me to the hairdressers for three hours of pampering.
I forget - who's birthday was it again?
Hello,
ReplyDeleteMy friend and I just went to same place Marios on Brunswick, today. I have never experienced bad service and rudeness from a waiter who is actuallt the owner. I had a hair on my plate. When I informed our waiter ( the owner) he told me 3 times where it was. After I pointed to him many times. He poked my food and told me I was being obsessive. It is only a hair. All I wanted was the hair being removed from the food and maybe being asked if I would want to have something else. No, instead I was told off. I am working at a cafe. I worked at restaurants so I know how the customers should be handled if something is wrong with food especially if it is restaurant's fault. I left the place as he was extremely rude to me. I would never go back.