Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana - (Melbourne)

  Checking out Manchester Lane, famous for its Jazz club, this shop caught my attention with the exterior menu board –  the Italian dishes and recipes are instantly recognisable as being authentic Italian,  something one won’t always find in a world filled with modified Australian-Italian food.   So we ventured in for dinner and sure enough,  this shop is owned by a recently immigrated family from Sicily,  who’d travelled all the way to Melbourne to open up this traditional trattoria style diner.   All pasta’s and desserts are made in house by the Sicilian couple,  the husband having worked as an Architect back in hometown before turning into a chef!    The prices here are also very affordable,  priced at around the same price as you’ll find in Italy itself (read:  half the price of most over-priced Australian-Italian resto’s).   Just typing up this review makes me want to return there tonight for dinner!

 

 

 

All home made with traditional recipes,
this is mostly for take away orders

 

 

Caldirola Sangiovese DOC -

 

Recent Immigrants from Italy -
The chef used to work as an Architect.  He certainly carries that vibe !

 

Panelle - 
Chickpea flour fritters,  comes recommended by the owners.
If you like fried chickpea food, you’ll love this.

 

Tagliatelle “Bolognese” -  $12.50
I’ve been surprised at how many shops sell ‘Spaghetti’ Bolognese in town,  as traditionally there is no such a dish in Italy.  And other shops selling a Tagliatelle use anything but a proper Bolognese ragu.  Sometimes,  you just want to have the REAL thing!   The bolognese ragu was a little too tomatoey but was appetizing,  and the house made tagliatelle was eggy and as close to al dente as you could expect from non-dry pasta.   At this price,  you’re getting home made pasta that is cheaper than La Porchetta and Sophia,  and this tastes 10 times better.

 

 

Involtini Siciliani -  $14.50
Grilled veal rolls are filled with bread, ham, mozzarella,  pine nuts and currants,  a traditional Sicilian dish.  Served with nice and hot chips.   The involtini were done really well and the veal was tender and moist.

 

 

Osso buco “Milanese” – $14.50
This was very good value for money,  but what’s more was done very well again.  A traditional Milanese dish involving a slow cooked osso buco eaten together with a saffron risotto,  you can’t even find this signature combo dish in originiated from Milan COVA in Hong Kong.  The osso buco was melt in your mouth and the base soffrito perfumed with judicial amounts of herbs.  The risotto was still bitey and using the right rice grain,  which a lot of other shops can’t get right.  This is definitely Italian cooked Italian food.   Even comes with a piece of bone marrow.

 

 

Home Made Cassata Ricotta -  $4.50
This was just baked and a traditional Sicilian dessert cake.  I love cassata  (also the frozen type).   This was no exception,  the ricotta curd inside was dotted with blackcurrants,  and the external pastry casing was buttery.   Not many places serve the original recipe.

 

 

Other House Baked cakes -
We were given a small sample of this to try too…
I really did appreciate how everything from entrees to all pasta’s and cakes are home made according to real authentic Italian recipes.  Yet it is priced well below other restaurants.  Go figure.   Bargain. 

 

 

Price: AUD $15 - 20 per person
Food: ♕♕♕♕ 1/2

Opening Hours:
Mon to Thurs -  8am to 8pm
Fri                  -  8am to 9pm

Address:  10 Manchester Lane, Melbourne, 3000
Phone: (03) 9090 7634