‘Inventive, themed cocktails’: The house martini you must try at suburban Coorparoo gem

A new bar in Brisbane’s south is as much about the food as the inventive, themed drinks list.

Bar Rocco Picture: David Kelly

Hold onto your house martini (gin with basil and olive brine-infused Italian vermouth, grappa and rosemary), the owner of popular southside trattoria Ramona has now opened a bar next door.

Since Ashley-maree Kent (ex Sydney’s Quay, Biota and Paper Daisy in Cabarita) first welcomed diners to her handmade pasta and pizza casual neighbourhood eatery in suburban Coorparoo in mid-2022, it’s been busy.

So when next door restaurant Paella y Pa’mi closed last year, Kent pondered what she could do in the space and the result is a bar, for trattoria-goers awaiting a table or wanting to meet earlier for a drink or kick on later, and as a stand-alone destination with its own distinctive menu.

Bar Rocco in Coorparoo. Picture: David Kelly

The venues, shaded from the street by trees, flow into each other at the entry but 30-seater Bar Rocco, open to the air, has its own patio-like vibe, with smaller circular tables, others with red-tiled tops and high stools and a bench facing the greenery out the front. The drinks list offers 10 inventive, themed cocktails including that house martini, an Italian margarita, negroni panettone and a Manhattan D’Puglia, four spritzes and a wine list of about 40 bottles (with more than 20 by the glass) that favours Italian drops backed up by several Australian and French offerings plus four premium Italian wines kept under Coravin.

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Bar Rocco’s menu is broad, with options for grazing or a three-course dinner. Snacks for those in drinks mode could be oysters, salami or mortadella (sold by weight) or house-made focaccia with various accompaniments such as Olasagasti anchovy with herbs and butter, or whipped ricotta, tomato and basil.

Other possibilities are burrata with tomato, peach and basil, or a terrific finely crumbed crocchette di patate ($8) filled with a oozing centre of parmigiano and scarmorza, or summery zucchini flowers with a delicious lemon and herb buffalo ricotta filling ($8 each) and a veil of finely grated parmesan.

Crumbed veal panino at Bar Rocco in Coorparoo. Picture: David Kelly.

Crumbed veal panino ($11) are cute little white bread sandwiches encasing a disc of thin, lightly crumbed veal, which are also perfectly drink friendly.

Of the four pizzetta choices, we opt for the ’nduja, honey, parmigiano version ($17), with a lovely leopard-spotted charred base and a dab of mascarpone in the centre.

In contrast to Ramona’s pizza-pasta mains, Bar Rocco offers a handful of larger dishes, which make use of the bar’s coal grill.

Pizzetta with nduja, honey, parmigiano and mascarpone. Picture: David Kelly

Skull Island tiger prawns ($12 each) are flecked with capers, herbs and lemon; swordfish cosies up with tomato, olives and oregano ($42); sausage (pork and fennel on this occasion) is dished up with beans and smoked tomato butter ($25); and there’s wagyu 6-plus rump cap ($47) served thinly sliced, pink and succulent on a platter Italian style, snuggled up to a profusion of rocket showered in very finely grated parmigiano.

Crocchette di patate. Picture: David Kelly

The value is reasonable given the quality of the ingredients and level of cooking.

Service throughout the meal is attentive and informative, with our waiter getting down to table level to discuss the details of dishes.

The only glitch of the evening is with dessert, options for which are torta caprese (flourless chocolate cake) ($13) or our selection of millefoglie ($14).

The pastry sandwiching the strawberry and diplomat cream filling lacks the crispness you’d hope for, potentially having fallen victim to the relentless humidity that’s been choking the city.

Beyond that, Bar Rocco is a terrific spot for a drink but is also absolutely a welcoming, stand-alone dining destination for those looking for a full dinner experience,
complete with hearty, comforting, well-executed dishes.

BAR ROCCO

2/131 Leicester St, Coorparoo

Open

From 4.30pm,

Wed-Sat

Must try

Pizzetta with ’nduja, honey, parmigiano
and mascarpone

Verdict

Food

3.5 stars

Service

4 stars

Ambience

3.5 stars

Value

4 stars

Overall

3.5/5 stars

delicious.com.au/eatout