Time for Italian at Gustissimo
April 19, 2013Gustissimo is the best rated restaurant in Katoomba on Urbanspoon so of course we had to try it out during our weekend away at the Blue Mountains. We decided to have dinner here and thankfully we didn't have to wait long for a table. The interior was very homely and I will admit it was a little stuffy inside. I suppose they didn't have the air conditioning on as it was a cold night.
Their menu boasts a lovely selection of gourmet Italian pizzas which you can choose in medium or large. We shared between us an entree, two mains and dessert.
Entree: Bruscetta ($4.90) |
This was a delicious toasted bruscetta topped with diced tomatoes, fresh basil, bocconcini and red onion with caramelised balsamic vinegar. Admittedly, this was the first time for me to try bruscetta and I am normally not a big fan of tomatoes but this was addictingly good. The tomatoes combined with the tang of the balsamic vinegar and the crunch of the bruscetta was refreshingly good.
Amore Di Carne pizza medium ($23) |
The pizza that we opted for was the "Amore Di Carne" which had salami, chicken, chorizo, double smoked ham, cabanossi and Italian pork sausage as the toppings. When DT and I first laid eyes on the pizza we thought it was rather small and we were afraid it wouldn't be filling enough. Boy were we wrong because we didn't expect this pizza to be so hot and spicy! I consider myself quite tolerant to chili being of Asian background but this was honestly a challenge for me. Despite its hotness this was definitely a really delicious pizza and they were very generous with the toppings. If you don't like or can't tolerate spicy foods I suggest that you stay clear of this pizza.
Gnocchi di Spinaci e Ricotta ($19.90) |
The other main consisted of homemade dumplings of spinach and ricotta served in a rich Italian tomato sauce. Their menu states that it is a vegetarian dish. Their gnocchi was different to what I was expecting as it was less dough-like and not chewy which was a pleasant surprise. The tomato sauce was deliciously rich and complemented the ricotta perfectly.
Torta Nonna Teressa ($17.90) |
Our dessert was a slice of tiramisu which was beautifully presented. The menu states that the tiramisu is made using a 100-year old traditional family recipe. With the first bite you can taste the rich coffee liquor soaked into the soft sponge cake and the hazelnuts and roasted ground almonds gave it a lovely crunch. This was the first tiramisu I have had where nuts were included and it was surely a welcome addition.
Gustissimo is truly a lovely restaurant with great food and great service. It is a little on the pricier side but it was well worth it and I would visit this place again.
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