Vassarelli’s Restaurant Review

A good Italian restaurant is a rare thing.

Pizza places are ubiquitous, but they also run the gamut from greasy, tasty-cheese laden cholesterol bombs to slowly proven dough, wood ovens, and premium ingredients.

So too, do Italian restaurants.

I am very, very thankful, therefore, that Vassarelli’s Restaurant McLaren Vale is one of “the good ones”.

First impressions are good, with a phone booking a smooth process, and the restaurant being inside a charming heritage home with pressed metal ceilings.

Charming building. Photo: Willunga Wino

Upon entering we are immediately greeted, quickly seated, and brought water and menus, with the water bottle left on the table so we can top up at will.

Handy.

Menu cover and logo. Photo: WIllunga Wino

And what a menu.

Compact and interesting, both the wine list featuring Vassarelli’s own brand drops, and the food menu, with pastas and heartier mains.

Part of the menu. Photo: Willunga Wino

Food friendly Fiano from Olivers Taranga was our pick to match with a pasta dinner.

Straw yellow, and clear as a bell.

Sweet fruit and an unctuous, oily mouth-feel, that would have been dialed down with a deeper chill than the 15 degrees or so it was.

Olivers Taranga Fiano 2015 $38 #foundOliver Photo: Willunga Wino

After enjoying the first few sips of our Fiano, mains were served. Quick service, nice. Sometime quick service can mean sub-standard food, but not in this instance.

Cocoa gnocchi was earthy and rich, and in a nice surprise, had been pan fried to crispy perfection.

Flavoursome porcini mushroom puree was taken to another level with the truffle oil and smokey firm ricotta.

Crispy fried sage leaves added crunch.

The portion size was perfect for such a rich dish.

Gnocchi al Cacao: Hand made gnocchi, cocoa, sage butter, porcini puree, smoked ricotta, and truffle. $28. Photo: Willunga Wino

Adding colour and crunch was the side salad of radicchio, mildly bitter and vividly red.

Toasted walnuts and fresh apple wedges, Parmesan and a balsamic dressing made for a textural salad with bursts of fresh flavour.

Side salad $10.50) Radicchio, walnuts, apple, parmesan. Photo: Willunga Wino

Mr Wino’s Taglierini al Granchio reminded us of the “tajarin” pasta we enjoyed in the Piedmont region, north-west of Italy. Hand made ribbons of pasta rich with egg yolks, lending it a bright yellow colour.

Here the perfectly cooked pasta was served with a rich tomato broth, fragrant with a generous amount of South Australian crab meat, leek, garlic, chilli and the added kick of flamed brandy.

It was a generous portion, but still didn’t last long!