Scugnizzo! Melbourne Italian Restaurant

http://www.scugnizzo.com.au/
558 Little Bourke St
Melbourne  VIC  300

It was a long time between meals for me at this little gem of a place, one of my all-time favourite restaurants in Melbourne.  I stumbled back across it as I was making my way home to the beach; catching a V-Line bus at Southern Cross Station in Melbourne and having two hours to kill.

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Cicciolina

www.cicciolinastkilda.com.au
130 Acland Street
St Kilda, Victoria 3182
T: 03 9525 3333
F: 03 9525 3397
E: cicciolina@netspace.net.au






So I'm on a diet.

Last night for frickasee's sake I had - actually it felt pretty lush - fresh salmon seared on a pan to make the salt and peppered skin crispy but leaving it rare inside (gave half the skin to the dog because I'm getting skinny), a green salad (using mixed leaves, cucumber, dill, feta and seasame seed - lemon olive oil dressing), a half grilled mango and a single boiled potato - with some more olive oil and salt (come on!). Two thumbs up and slim-er-ific (if you make up for it with a run and some more physical work outs!!  Come on!!).

But you get to the end of a week of vegetarian plates from Friends of the Earth, eating fruit for breakfast and generally making the Buddha proud (except for that poor Sandy situation - with apologies to Shiro Kishibe), and you finally get to a point where you think:

"Stuff this. I can't take it anymore. I want some meat. I want wine! I want a dessert with an aperitif and a good coffee. Basically, I want my old life back. Bring me a cigar and a vodka!"

Enter Cicciolina in St Kilda.

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Scusa Mi Ristorante

Mid-level, Southgate
Southbank
www.scusami.com.au



OK, how do you know when the restaurant trade has been taking a hammering?

When you walk into one of the best places you’ve ever seen, with great service, beautiful outlook, good food and the place is nearly empty. But surely we should take a look inside? Look at the lunch special!

OK, admittedly it was a Tuesday, down at a Southbank undergoing various renovations, but the sun was shining bright and, as I sat out on the verandah I felt like I was on holiday in Sydney, or maybe that it was my birthday. But no. It was just me and a book, catching a lunch special at Scusa Mi and catching a few rays.

The balcony overlooks Flinders St Station, the lunch special was great value (glass of wine, entrée – I had the octopus, and main; followed by the seared Salmon - $26!).

The name pretty much tells you it’s Italian food, and their card has three comedy chefs, so it doesn’t take itself too seriously.

As a quick aside, I'm amazed at how far Southbank has come as a dining precinct in the last decade. I’m beginning to suspect Southbank is becoming Melbourne’s version of Las Ramblas, the touristy walk flanked by the homes of jet-setty millionaires through the centre of town, and where you will increasingly find some of the very best restaurants going around.

OK, my particular lunch wasn’t the pinnacle of art in food – I did just have the special and I can’t recall seeing any “foams”, or titrations from the lab of some genius – but it was pleasant fare, a great view and attentive service. Plus, looking through their gallery, they look like they can rise to just about anything and match it with the foam/blindfold/food as painting and sculpture-ness-ness of any of them.

Thank God they are there.

Six tentacles out of eight!

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