Grossi Florentino

17th October 2011

After a work presentation in the afternoon featuring Bear Grylls, i was going to be in the city anyway and decided to take that opportunity to head out for dinner at Grossi Florentino. After being let in through the big main doors and going up the stairs, we were greeted by a plethora of Italian waiters with a series of buongiornos. The upstairs dining area was filled of Italian murals on the wall, old school Italian music and the full Italian experience that screamed decadence and opulence and could have been overlooking the Tiber river or Piazza San Marco.

The service was very pleasant, punctual and efficient but was obviously designed to be old school and being there to serve you rather than interacting on a personal level. However this type of service was consistent with the type of place Grossi Florentino sets out to be.

After being seated and offered an extensive and wide ranging wine list that offered wines various sections and choices. Slightly on the pricier side that most restaurants it still offered some lower end options. After selecting a Leffe Blonde beer and a Primosic to accompany the main course (bold flavoured wine similar to a chardonnay) we were presented with the two menus (a la carte and the degustation - 8 course, 5 course and vegetarian).  I went for the 5 course degustation but given my lack of enthusiasm about Tuna the wait staff allowed me to change the tuna dish for any other antipasto or first course on the menu.

However before the first course arrived we were treated to a series of pre dinner entrees. The first up was a cigar of flaky pastry filled with a pistachio, feta and balsamic paste. Amazingly bold flavours and the crispy pastry worked well with the smooth feta in the middle.

After the first mini entree we were offered grisini and olives as well as a selection of 4 different types of breads accompanied by french butter, lardo (cured pork fat) and olive oil. They were all amazing even if i could feel my arteries clogging from this dish alone.

These were followed by another complementary dish. A chicken terrine, topped with a single quail egg and adorned with a flattened, caramelised pig cheek. The pig cheek was exquisite whilst the other two items were very good if not amazing.

The last complementary dish was a veal mousse wrapped in ox tongue, topped with black sea salt and served on a stick. Wonderfully smooth veal mousse and packed with flavour and the black sea salt lifted the flavours.

Ah we have arrived at the first course. Meant to be the Tuna Carpaccio i made the switch and choose the Black Pudding. Served as a breakfast dish at dinner the combo of the black pudding, veloute of eggs, foie gras cigar, hazelnut and bacon powder was a delightful version of the old breakfast classic and was delicious.

The second course took a slightly different tone to the previous dishes with this being light and fresh as opposed to the rich and heavy food of the rest of the meal. An octopus salad with pickled vegetables and a goat's cheese croquette. The salad was light and fresh and balanced the pickled vegetables with the perfectly cooked octopus, however the goat's cheese croquette was the real star with a crisp batter and soft goat's cheese centre with a slightly lemony flavour.

The third course went back to the rich and decadent ways of the previous dishes with a Lobster ravioli, pea puree, caviar and a burnt butter sauce. Bold partnership of rich flavours that worked brilliantly and the smell and taste of the Lobster Ravioli was sublime.

The 4th course and last savoury course was a wagyu beef rum cap (an quality cut of meat perfectly cooked with a very pink centre and darkened edge) sitting on a bed of diced potatoes and two long thin slices of pickled veal tongue and served with salsa Verde and a fennel soil. They also poured on a beef jus at the table. This was Italian cooking at its best. Simple, bold and powerful flavours done in an amazing way that made you feel warm and happy inside.

Before the final course and the desert, there was a slight delay as they prepared the Chocolate Souffle. Unfortunately this meant i had to listen to the obnoxious, bitchy and loud conversation of two men on the far side of the dining room who were rude to the staff and were irritating and discourteous to everyone else in the room, which as we had a 8pm booking was very few people apart from us at this stage.

The Souffle arrived and was accompanied with a small pot of dark chocolate and a malt ice cream. Unfortunately having been to Vue Du Monde 2 days earlier and having been served a chocolate souffle there, this one had a lot to live up to. This souffle was not as light as the one at Vue Du Monde and was more dense. The light malt ice cream did contrast the rich heavy chocolate flavours and its was very good but not on the same level as the one from Vue Du Monde (although nowhere else has come close either).

A final touch was the presentation of a printed and bound copy of the menu i had been served including the changes i had made. A nice little touch that they went to the trouble of as i was eating. The meal was great and the best Italian food eaten in Melbourne. Bold rich flavours and the 5 courses (plus extras) were more than enough to leave us full. The food, decor and service spoke of an opulence of times past  and was very professional and well done. The price ($185 for me) was too much for everyday (and with this food that may be a good thing for my waist as well) but it screamed of big occasion dinner.