brisbanebellyblogger: Love Bucci

It’s only fitting to dine at an Italian Restaurant during the Italian Film Festival week with a gorgeous Italian friend. Film festivals are an eccellente way to experience another culture and watch movies very different to the usual Hollywood blockbusters.

Italy conjures feelings of love through some of the most beautiful creations in life. Fall head over your Salvatore Ferragamo heels with Italian architecture, think the Colosseum; and literature - enter stage - Romeo and Juliet. Love the sexy fashion trade that has evolved from buff Romans in Togas to Valentino. Love the language, which is so sexy and melodic that the great Romantic English poet, Lord Byron, described Italian as a language that sounds "as if it should be written on satin."

Arguably the greatest love of the land is Italian cuisine; who doesn’t love pizza, gelato or espresso?

Matthew Evans, the Gourmet Farmer, explained at a recent Queensland Writer’s Centre workshop that many Italian cookbooks do not have the accurate measurements in the recipe because the Italians have cooking in their blood. Their measurements judged through feel, taste, and an abundance of family feasts. This knowledge, coupled with a Gnocchi-making lesson from my Italian housemate’s mother, stirred a deep appreciation for Italian food.

Bucci Restaurant is an enchanting venue on James Street in Fortitude Valley. Bucci is run by husband and wife, Shaun and Tanja Malone, who work with producers to source organic, local and free-range products wherever possible to create fresh, traditional dishes.

Share plates are a wonderful way to try a variety of dishes and they make for great topics of conversation; especially for those virgin tête-à-tête scenes. After placing the order, a special dish arrived from the kitchen – thanks Shaun for the lovely surprise! Longing to discover what lay beneath an upside-down wine glass filled with smoke; as the glass lifted from the plate, the smoke cleared to reveal a beautiful smoked swordfish with a salad of fennel, cannellini beans agrodolce onions and crispy salami. It looked, smelt and tasted simply spectacular.

An absolute favourite on the menu is the Arancini Piccolo. Breaking open the crunchy exterior bares the pea and mozzarella risotto inside; seducing you to sprinkle smoked pancetta salt on top with a layer of lemon aioli.

For Calamari and Sausage lovers, try the Calamari Ripieni alla Calabrese. It is a char grilled local squid wrapped within homemade Calabrian sausage beautifully plated on a film of squid ink and lemon aioli, which makes for a very interesting combination.

Some things are just too good to let go and the Burrata Tartufata is an old favourite. A sweet tasting sensation of stretched curd cheese with crisp pancetta, truffle honey, blueberries and walnuts is such a devine combination of ingredients. A perfect dish to transition your taste into dessert, perhaps accompanied by a glass of Limoncello.

Bucci’s sensuous desserts are impossible to resist. The Chocolate nemesis del really is the best chocolate cake ever, it is soft, velvety and melts on your tongue. For a refreshing Springtime flavour try the Zabaglione semifreddo with strawberries or a lemon meringue crumble with limoncello gelato. Tiramisu is a popular Italian dessert with coffee and alcohol, Bucci create their own style served with an icy twist.

On my previous blog, Food for Thought Initiative, I pledged to donate dollar for dollar of the total bill from my next dining experience to a wonderful cause “DoItInADress”. Bucci was the best place to spread the love and try out their latest Spring menu in my favourite frock.