Dinner @ Osteria La Passione

This is fast becoming the place we go to when we want to pretend we are back in Italy.

Cured Ocean Trout

A lovely fresh start to the evening - very simple but well done and well balanced.

Pepperonata

When we received the pepperonata we were asked if we were interested in trying something a bit different and naturally enough we said yes. Carmine then came out and explained what he had in mind would involve various bits and pieces of goat offal and seriously who would refuse that?

Goat Bits and Pieces
Goat Testicle with pickled vegetables - Grilled Goat Tongue with Marsala Sabayon -
Goat Tripe filled Intestine with Chicory

What I especially loved is that these are his families traditional recipes - in fact he called his mum to make sure he was making them correctly. At the front is goat testicle and it is surprisingly delicious, it has quite a fluffy texture almost mousse like. Next to it was my favourite part - grilled goat tongue - served with salsa verde on the side and marsala sabayon on top along with a slice of polenta. The beautifully crisp tongue matched wonderfully with the creamy notes of the marsala.

Goat Tripe Sausage

Inside the intestine casing the tripe was loosely packed as small strips. It's interesting to see that one side of the tripe is actually black.

Stew of Goat Heart, Kidney, Liver

Wonderfully rich stew, lightly spiced - the sauce was made for bread.

Spaghetti with Wild Mushrooms

The first of the wild mushrooms, I think these were pine mushrooms. Simple but delicious.

Braised Rooster

We can now take rooster off the list of things we've never eaten before. The meat is more dense but more flavoured than chicken. Flavoured with olives and orange.

Beef Stracotto served with Chard

Peach Tart

If we had to write a top ten list of our best meals ever, then we'd have to find a place in that list for tonight.

  The details:

  Osteria La Passione
  486 Bridge Road
  Richmond

  Phone: 9428 2558

  Open:
  Dinner Only - Tuesday to Saturday