Bar Carolina
Well-executed favourites with a few twists.
Italian$$
This slender corner site has consistently crammed in lunching ladies, new-wave negroni sippers and loyal locals since 2017. The attraction? Sleek interiors, house-made rigatoni in vodka sauce, impressively charred steaks straight from the Josper oven, and staff who know how to charm.
Window seats in the terrazzo-tiled conservatory are perfect for people-watching. Get comfy with a skin-contact pinot grigio from a list of 20 or so wines available by the glass, and flaky gnocco fritto draped with velvety culatello.
Tuna crudo comes with squid ink crostini in the shape of a cartoon fish-bone – a tongue-in-cheek move that’s classic Carolina.The sweetness of Humpty Doo barramundi is tempered by limoncello-spiked butter sauce.
If the popular Bomba Carolina dessert is sold out, a big scoop of tiramisu layered with chocolate mousse should cushion the blow.
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Original URL: https://www.watoday.com.au/goodfood/vic-good-food-guide/bar-carolina-20240418-p5fkwf.html