Zona Azzurri Restaurant Pizzeria, Alexandria (30 June 2018)

160 Bourke Rd, Alexandria NSW 2015
https://www.zonaazzurri.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/zonaazzurri/

A taste of Italy in Alexandria

I've now been twice to this Italian restaurant right next door to Ultra Football since January when I first heard about it from my friend Josie. First time checked out with my brother for dinner and the second time with the wife and kids for lunch. Both times have been good experiences helped very much with the friendly and welcoming Italian service.

Always love to start with a Negroni ($16) to help calm the nerves. Kid's Ham pizza with tomato, fior di latte (cow's milk, mozzarella style cheese), ham ($15) was good as well as the Ortolana pizza - seasonal vegetables, fior di latte, EVVO ($24). Be sure to get some of their chilli oil to add a great chilli kick. Kid's Ragu ($17) was very good and enjoyed by Miss 6 year old. Served with all the elements separated as ordered.

On my previous visit Linguine al cartoccio - flat pasta served with our own selection of seafood tossed in cherry tomatoes ($32) came with a tasty sauce and nice seafood. A more generous serving of pasta in the dish would have helped to use up the lovely sauce and make it a more filling dish. Diavolo pizza - tomato, fior di latte, spicy sopressa, basil ($21) had a nice soft pizza base and tasty topping. Add that extra hit of chilli oil to make it even better. For dessert tried their Tiramisu - Traditional Italian Style ($11). Good flavour although was expecting the more rustic 'traditional italian style' of presentation when served on a plate rather than in a glass. Panna cotta ($12 menu special) had good flavours although texture was a bit more on the firmer rather than wobbly side.

Textbook Boulangerie-Patisserie, Alexandria (10 Sept 2016)

274 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015
http://www.textbookpatisserie.com.au
https://www.instagram.com/textbookpatisserie/

Pretty cakes look so tempting

I've finally had a chance to visit this famous patisserie. So many pretty looking cakes on display it's hard to choose. Lemon Meringue with Raspberry Compote - lemon curd, raspberry compote, swiss meringue, vanilla sablé breton ($8.50 dine in, label says $7.50 so I assume that's a takeaway price?) looks wonderful. I find the pastry base more cake like than tart like if that makes sense so it's a different style to the delicate thin shortbread pastry I'm used to. The meringue around the outside is delicious. The lemon curd seems quite firm from the gelatine so not as soft as others I've had and a different style. Cappuccino ($3.50) uses The Little Marionette coffee and is rather nice and helps to cut through the sugary delight. Babyccino ($1) comes in a paper cup as preferred but is all milk rather than froth so attention required when passing on to a 1 year old in not making a huge mess if spilt. One had a spoon and the other didn't so some attention to detail required. Love the spacious area and there's a fair amount of seating including outside at the back near a sunny courtyard.

Bread & Circus Wholefoods Canteen: “It's a canteen not a cafe”, Alexandria (25 June 2013)

21 Fountain Street, Alexandria NSW 2015

http://www.breadandcircus.com.au

The circus is in Alexandria

A rainy day brings me to shelter amongst the warehouse complex that includes Bread & Circus for a brunch with the family. Great to see high chairs available from the outset for the little one and the decor and atmosphere is cosy except for the long bench seating which I find very awkward to get in and out of — they look nice but are so impractical for dining. The menu reads like it's good for you and the environment and it probably is as I spot organic, biodynamic and sustainable. I choose Jude's very particular pancakes ($16) of pre-soaked buckwheat black quinoa coconut-rapapdura wholefood pancakes. These must be healthy for you by the sound of it and they thankfully don't taste like cardboard. Quite tasty and fairly fluffy in texture make them enjoyable and go well with the maple biodynamic yoghurt. The sliced pieces of oranges and apple seem a bit out of place as you're better off using your fingers to eat them. Orange segments without skin and a spiced apple compote would be my preference for easier eating with your cutlery without getting your fingers messy. Also I'm never a fan of eating out of a bowl, even a shallow one, with a knife and fork. It just feels wrong trying to cut things and would much prefer if this was served on a flat plate.

Parmesan not-so-scrambled egg ($18) comes with biodynamic eggs, real truffle oil and a quirky name. Lots of flavour from the truffle and nicely cooked eggs. All the ingredients work well together although the avocado was a bit too firm from being unripe in part making it not as pleasant to enjoy. Be careful not to cut your gums on the thick slices of sourdough which are super crusty. The Skim latte ($4.50) was good except arriving a bit luke warm. I can only suspect there might have been a delay in making it to the table as my Hot chocolate ($5) was at a nice warm temperature with great depth of flavour from the callebaut dark chocolate. A Babyccino ($2) comes at a premium price but is mostly frothy milk as hoped which is easy for the baby to enjoy. If it came with a mini biscuit or marshmallow would make it better value but I guess not as healthy for the little one. The Rainy day toast and Foxy winter porridge sound worthy of a possible revisit to try.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Interesting and healthy menu, Preference for seasonal, organic and biodynamic, Cosy decor, Friendly service, High chairs available and kid friendly, Free street parking

CONS: Long bench seating is awkward and impractical, Eating with a knife and fork out of a shallow bowl

MUST TRY: Revisiting to try more of the menu although I'd recommend the hot chocolate

VERDICT: Lots of healthy choices on a menu that's updated daily and made with seasonal produce although I'd get rid of the bench seating and rather eat on a plate than a shallow bowl for dishes that require a knife and fork.

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Jude's very particular pancakes: Pre-soaked buckwheat black quinoa coconut-rapapdura wholefood pancakes with maple-orange gloss and maple biodynamic yoghurt ($16) — nice pancakes and yoghurt but orange slices seem out of place and would have preferred maybe a spiced apple compote for easier eating with cutlery

Nice fluffy pancakes and differently tasty

Orange pieces with skin on seems a bit out of place in the dish as you have to eat with your fingers unless I'm missing the point of them? Maybe would work better for me if orange segments had skin removed so could be eaten with the cutlery. 

Parmesan not-so-scrambled egg: biodynamic eggs with real truffle oil, under shaved parmesan & served with avocado, tomato, baby spinach, fresh herbs & sourdough ($18) — good truffle flavour although avocado was a bit under ripe

Skim latte ($4.50) — nice coffee but arrived luke warm so not sure if it was delayed

Hot chocolate: callebaut dark chocolate melted into milk ($5) — good flavour 

WORTH TRYING :-)

Babyccino ($2) — mostly froth which is good although pricey

Menu

Table setting — everything you need

Good looking produce for the kitchen on display

Bench seating can be very awkward and impractical — one of my pet hates when dining as they can be hard to get in and out of, especially if others are sitting on them.

Outside seating available although not so good when it's raining as it doesn't seem to be covered but they look very comfortable for sipping your healthy fruit juice on a sunny day

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