V and I headed to newly opened Italian restaurant, Provini, which replaced La Scala in the city. Provini is owned by the Cocu Group which also owns Shorty’s next door, Little Brooklyn in Kingston, Public in Manuka, Suburban and much more around Canberra, so I couldn’t help but have high expectations of this place. The quaint entrance is via some steps leading up to a small raised terrace out the front with bistro-style seating and outdoor heaters. It already felt like I was about to enter a different world. The white lace curtains lining the glass windows of the restaurant sets the scene for the night, giving the impression that it would be cosy and homely inside. And it was. With the exposed brick walls, a warm glow coming from the glass tiled light feature on the ceiling, wood fired pizza oven and mini roof above the cucina, the atmosphere was warm and inviting.
I was shown around the restaurant to discover the other rooms. The friendly waiter said that ‘It’s nonna’s house’ after all. One room looks like you’re stepping into an old country dining saloon complete with a chinaware display, wallpaper, bright flowery carpet, timber finishings and a faux window with an electronic display of the outdoors. An extremely large wooden table makes this a great room for bigger groups.
Another room has a more intimate setting with padded banquettes along the wall, the same flowery carpet and soft lighting.
I started off with a mocktail ($6) of lime and mint. Not exactly what I had in mind when I asked for ‘tropical’ but I probably should have been more specific. Too much tonic water and not enough flavour in this, however I wasn’t too fussed as it was relatively inexpensive.
Provini’s menu is split into antipasto, primo (entrees), secondi (mains), pizza and pasta, contorni (sides) and dolce (dessert). Primo ranges from $14-17, wood fired pizzas from $21-24 and pastas from $24-29. The most expensive item on the menu is the dry aged rib eye with two sides for $66 which the menu states is designed to share. We started off with the wood roasted pork and veal polpette with sugo and charred bread ($15). Hearty and tasty, this was a simple dish of home made meatballs smothered in tomato sugo. I loved dunking the charred bread into the sugo and adding pieces of the meatball on top. Satisfying and a good start to the evening.
V and I both ordered pastas for our mains. I chose the gnocchi alla sorrentina ($25) – home made gnocchi in a tomato sauce with buffalo mozzarella and basil. The gnocchi was fresh and cooked beautifully. A plain tomato sauce with a hint of acidity that works so well with mozzarella and basil. I was betting that the three ingredients would be a guaranteed winning combination. And they were. This was another classic simple dish done well. Portions are on the small side allowing you room to share some primo plates or dessert.
V ordered the fazzoletti al ragu ($26) with pork, veal and white wine ragu. Fazzoletti are also known as pasta handkerchiefs and take the form of a large flat triangle that’s rolled out thinly. I was impressed with this house made version which was super silky with a generous amount of pork and veal ragu. Simple and flavoursome.
For dessert, I chose the classic tiramisu ($14) which was served in a delicate glass bowl. There was a lot of mascarpone to lady finger/sponge ratio, as the sponge itself was extremely thin. Not to my liking unfortunately. Other than that, the mascarpone was light and creamy, and there wasn’t too much liqueur in it.
V ordered the ricotta and pistachio cassata ($14) to try something different. The cassata’s ricotta filling was mixed with pistachios and dried candied fruits. You definitely need to love dried candied fruits to order this dish with more of it sprinkled on the plate.
The food at Provini is minimalist, using only a few ingredients, with true flavour shining through. I thought both pastas were well balanced and stood out in their own way. I’m told that all the pastas are handmade except for the spaghetti and lasagne. Prices are reasonably similar to other Italian restaurants in Canberra. Portions of pastas are on the small side so make sure you go with a group of friends so you can share multiple dishes. Service is friendly and our waiter had so much passion for Italian food. So much so that he couldn’t even pick a favourite on the menu. He was just in love with all of the dishes. The ambiance is intimate and low key. I like the concept of dining at ‘nonna’s house’ and the effort put into the comfortable old-fashioned decor. Worth checking out.
Provini is located in Garema Place towards Bunda Street (next door to Shorty’s). I’m uncertain of the exact opening times (website states it’s only open Sunday to Monday for dinner, but I dined on a Thursday night?), however it’s open for lunch and dinner most days.
(There seems to be a wave of new Italian eateries opening up – check out Locale Pizzeria in Deakin and Joe’s Bar in Kingston if you’re on an Italian food adventure).
Foodgasm 7.5/10
Value for money 7/10
Service 9/10
FPJ score 23.5/30
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