It's a lovely walk along the Kingston foreshore. The night is cool and there's a pause in what seems like a summer of unrelentless smoke haze. Some restaurants are buzzing, packed to the rafters with customers, while others are conspicuously empty - a sea of perfectly set tables with no diners in sight. At least it makes our decision on which restaurants to rule out easy. At the southern end of the foreshore, Molto Italian is somewhere in between, with a few empty tables. The glass doors are open and there's an inviting, alfresco feel to the dining space.
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A hollowed out wheel of pecorino sits on the counter, waiting to be brought to the diner's table as a showpiece in Molto's signature cacio e pepe. The smell of a rich seafood stock wafts through the restaurant and specials are chalked up on two sides of a blackboard wall - things such as mortadella mousse, figs and prosciutto, pasta and risotto of the day. I'm already feeling the agony of choice. The menu isn't quite the traditional Italian primi-secondi, instead structured into stuzzichini (shared), deli meats and cheeses, pizza, pasta and risotto, secondi (second plates) and sides. There's lots to choose from and the menu structure makes it easy for diners to mix and match to different tastes and hunger levels, even with a short one-page menu.
The wine list leans towards the Italian, with a few Australian bottles mixed in. There are some good options by the glass, with some good options on the beer and aperitivo front. My only gripe would be that the digestivo section could've done with a bit of Italian flair in the form of amaro or limoncello - or any other Italian digestif, for that matter.
Everything on the menu sounds absolutely delicious, and assured by our waitress' charming Italian accent, I leave my choice of main with her. Simply titled galetto ($40) on the specials board, it would've been easy to miss this delight of a dish. Wide tubes of pasta, rather like a short rigatoni are tossed a mixture of mushrooms in a rich silky stock and finished with cheese. As with all the best Italian dishes, the whole thing appears really simple - an exercise in excellent produce, good technique and restraint. It's one of those dishes that's had me thinking about it for days after, wondering when I can return.
The house made maccheroni amatriciana ($30) is less impressive. The pasta, though well cooked, misses the richness that comes from the fat emulsifying into the sauce. The tomato sugo borders on the sweet, lacking acidity and depth that brings this sauce to life. The guanciale is chewy and the fat slightly rubbery. We've both eaten a fair few amatricianas on our travels throughout Italy, and this particular version didn't quite hit the spot.
On the plus side, the burrata ($24) that we began the meal with was a winner. On the menu, it simply says to ask for today's special. Tonight, it is beetroot and shaved fennel, a bright and earthy combination perfect for the warmer summer weather.
I'm a sucker for anything cooked in a wood fire, so I can't pass up wood fired gamberi ($22). Butterflied king prawns are cooked with garlic chilli butter, and while the dish looks the goods, the flavour of the prawns didn't shine through. Sometimes, simplicity comes with its downfalls.
The pasta serves are generous, and while I was initially tempted by a secondi to share, I have to concede defeat on the mains front. On the plus side, that simple means more room for dessert.
Now, what if I told you that the best tiramisu I've ever had was right here in Kingston? Not Rome, but right here in our own backyard. Here at Molto, Nonna's tiramisu ($17) is a hands down winner. As an avid tiramisu aficionado, I have tasted and made many over the years, including Heston Blumenthal's and all have paled in comparison to this one. The espresso soaked savoiardi and mascarpone come together with a generous dose of marsala and a delightfully light zabaglione cascading over the top. The lower layers of savoiardi and mascarpone are distinct and the top layer of zabaglione is almost runny. It's well-balanced, not overly boozy and the different textures of mascarpone bring it to life.
Rumour has it that it is, in fact, made by an Italian nonna as its name would suggest. I am so in love with this tiramisu that it has convinced me to either track down the nonna in question (Canberra is a small town, right?) failing which I plan to write to Gourmet Traveller's Fare Exchange for the first time ever. Failing that, I plan to just go to Molto and unashamedly beg for the recipe.
There are some standouts at Molto Italian and some dishes that could do with a little more attention. It's on the pricey side of casual for a weeknight meal but there's an elegant simplicity throughout the menu and a clear focus the soul of Italian food. It's one of those neighbourhood restaurants that is very much on the right track, and one that I'm very glad to live within walking distance to.
Molto Italian
Address: 155/43 Eastlake Parade, Kingston
Phone: 61407039
Hours: Monday, dinner, 6-10pm; Tuesday to Sunday, lunch, noon to 3pm, dinner 6-10pm.
Owners: Molto Holdings
Chefs: Jason Lear and Carlo Tosolini
Wheelchair access: Yes
Vegetarian: A couple of good options
Noise: Not a problem
