Rome, sweet Rome – to eat at home
Whether it’s a romantic dinner for two or feeding hungry hordes, Italian food will come through in a crisis, writes Simon Wilkinson
SA Weekend
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Think of an Italian family meal and the image that comes to mind is a huge gathering of the generations, from the bambinos slurping their first spaghetti strands to Nonna greeting everyone with the warmest of embraces.
While crowded tables and loving hugs are on hold for a little while yet, Italian cooking is still hard to top when both sustenance and soothing of the soul are required. Like now.
In times of stress and strife, it’s spag bol and lasagne to the rescue. No wonder pasta was one of the first things to disappear from supermarket shelves.
But our best Italian restaurants can take this food to another level, creating a meal that is not just filling, but fulfilling in every sense.
Thankfully many are managing to keep their doors open, as they work out the best formula for satisfying the needs of their customers until restrictions are lifted.
Even in these circumstances, they can’t help being generous, so please give them your support in return.
CHIANTI
Break out the best glassware, dim the lights, put flowers on the table and find a playlist including That’s Amore.
City legend Chianti has put together a takeaway dinner for two that puts the Rome into romance – or could simply be shared with a favourite housemate, of course.
Talk about generous. A neatly packed bag filled with bread, olives, pasta, brilliant grilled chicken and tiramisu is only $70.
“We didn’t really do the figures,” laughs Nick Favaro, who is managing Chianti with sister Jess.
Along with senior staff, the pair have put in extraordinary hours to ensure the survival of the restaurant that was opened by their parents, Frank and Maria, more than 35 years ago, as well as more recent addition next door, Bar Torino.
The result is a menu available for takeaway and delivery, as well as an online shopfront offering bottles from the terrific Chianti cellar, as well as beer, gins and even the house negroni.
“We thought we would be here for 10 days and then go home and have five months off,” Nick says.
“That’s definitely not going to be the case. We’re lucky to have our regulars, which is a tribute to the work Mum and Dad have done.”
The Chianti “A Casa” offering kicks off with a selection of snacks or “cicchetti” (mushroom croquettes, Gazander oysters with shallot and white balsamic dressing), followed by pastas, a trio of meat dishes and dolci. The two-person package we try shows a kitchen that isn’t cutting any corners. The blue swimmer crab with black spaghetti, for instance, is hand-picked – a tedious job at the best of times. A more-than-ample portion, including plenty of lovely chunks, is mixed with roasted tomato, basil and a touch of chilli.
A chook from Nature’s Chicken at Forest Range is brined and slow-cooked before finishing over a charcoal grill. Served with zucchini ribbons in a lemon dressing, its dense meat and blackened skin are a reminder of how good a properly raised bird can taste. Finish with a delicate, restrained version of tiramisu, and the last drops from a bottle of sangiovese. Yep, that’s amore.
160 Hutt St, city, 8232 7955, chianti.net.au. Takeaway available Tue-Sat, 5pm-8pm.
ORSO
At first glance, the old manor on Kensington Rd that is home to Orso seems to be closed. Walk down to the last door, however, and its little grocer Willmott’s is busier than ever.
Not only is it continuing to sell the preserves, pastas, tinned goods and other pantry items that fill the shelves, it is also the outlet for the meals coming from the restaurant kitchen.
Orso has been quick to react to the new restrictions. “We saw the writing on the wall and had started doing takeaway before we had to shut down,” says business development manager Kate Rowlands. “We are incredibly lucky with the neighbourhood around us. Over Easter we sold more than 1000 hot cross buns and 300 fish pies.”
A trio of different menus are on offer – one with ready-to-eat takeaway, another with restaurant-quality meals to heat at home, including large pasta serves, and a third with more basic single-serve options, such as meatballs and lasagne, as well as meats and cheeses.
While the Italian heritage of owner Andre Ursini is still obvious, Orso takes a broader Mediterranean view.
So takeaway options include fall-apart braised lamb shoulder that can be added to a fragrant warm Middle Eastern salad of pumpkin, chickpeas and lentils, tossed with currants and a tahini dressing.
Rippled ribbons of mafalda pasta weave between chunks of veal that have bubbled away in a marsala sauce.
Don’t skip dessert. A tall wedge of crustless Basque cheesecake with mixed berry compote will make you regret having agreed to share.
36 Kensington Rd, Rose Park, 8364 1008, orsokensington.com.au. Open daily.