93 Market St, Fremantle
Ph: (08) 9430 6126
Love that Italian Cuisine
We entered the doors of Portorosa on a crisp winter afternoon where we were welcomed by Jasmina, the restaurant manager. A large dining area oozing traditional Italian charisma awaited us with the wafting aroma of wood fired pizzas arousing our appetites. We chose to sit just inside the open windows and watch the hustle and bustle of the busy lunchtime street.
Portorosa, is owned by Joe, formerly of the reputable Bella Napoli in Spearwood. Recently opening the doors of Portorosa, Joe has gathered key staff from his previous restaurant and brought in a fresh faced, energetic young head chef, Aaron Palermo. I realized the Mediterranean cuisine was in his blood when Aaron told me his ancestors hailed from Sicily and this is the kind of food he grew up with.
The first dish we tasted was ‘Salsiccia alla griglia’, house shaved and grilled cacciatore sausage, warm kalamata olives, Danish feta and homemade toasted bread. The sausage was sliced nice and thin had a good kick to it, while the feta was lusciously creamy and delightful with the olives. A delicious combination of flavours – definitely one to share while deciding what to order for the main course.
Next on the menu was ‘Homemade potato gnocchi with Italian sausage in a Napolitana sauce. Being a fan of gnocchi I was pretty excited about this one. We tucked in to little pillows of gnocchi, with nuggets of sausage and a smooth, tasty sauce, a real tummy pleaser.
Moving on to the ‘Spaghetti Portorosa’, a generous serving of spaghetti, filled to the brim with seafood, including calamari, scallops, mussels and clams; brought together with a delicious spaghetti sauce of cherry tomatoes, white wine and garlic with the perfect hit of chilli.
A thumbs up from me, and I highly recommend a glass of 2007 Amberley Sauvignon Blanc to wash it down, the crisp, fruity flavour cleaning your palate before diving in for another mouthful.
Only half way through the meal and I was already planning my afternoon nap but wait there was more!
This time it was the ‘Panzerotto’ a large chicken breast stuffed with cheese, sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms, wrapped in Prosciutto on a bed of creamy mashed potato served with veggies and a creamy avocado sauce. Tentatively I cut into the chicken, then tasting it I was pleasantly surprised by the burst of flavours and the moist, juicy, tenderness of the chicken. The combination of flavours worked so well, a definite for all you chicken lovers!
Then to my favourite, ‘Roasted rack of lamb with mash, creamed spinach and red wine jus’ – the simple combinations of this dish are right up my street. The lamb was cooked just right (medium), smooth mash, with the spinach holding its flavor and texture. The jus, also full of flavor, with a slight sweetness was an ideal match. Partnered with a glass of 2007 Tintara Cabernet Sauvignon it was perfect.
For the finale I wasn’t sure I could squeeze in another morsel but out came a dish that intrigued me, so I made a tiny bit of space. ‘Portorosa dumplings’ is a secret recipe which will remain a secret as I couldn’t work out what the tasty little melting moments were made of! The icing sugar drenched dumplings with dips of maple syrup and hazelnut chocolate – pure indulgence is all I have to say!
With reasonable prices and generous portions at Portorosa, it is wonderful to see that simple, traditional Italian food is still being served the way it always has been and I believe the way it always should be. “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” is my motto.
Portorosa has been featured in the Masters of Menu Recipe Book – for more information please click here.
By Sophie Budd