Creamy pasta dishes such as fettuccine alfredo are associated with indulgence and comfort – who doesn’t love pasta, cream and cheese?
The story of fettuccine alfredo begins in Rome where restaurateur Alfredo di Lelio created the dish in 1914. According to legend, Alfredo was seeking to make a simple yet nourishing meal for his pregnant wife, who was experiencing loss of appetite. To entice her to eat, Alfredo combined fresh fettuccine pasta with a generous amount of butter and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to create a creamy, delicious dish that not only pleased his wife but also his restaurant patrons.
Today, this is one of the most consumed creamy pasta dishes on the planet! Here are 5 restaurants where creamy pasta is always on the menu:
Gourmet Creamy Pasta & Pizza
Those looking to say ciao to tasty Italian fare in Croydon head along Main Street to find La Bocca Trattoria. Alfresco dining under market umbrellas awaits kerbside, where you can sip a glass of wine and people watch; while indoors invites chilling out on a leather couch under bright blue walls, or at cosy table settings to peruse a menu boasting everything from gourmet pizza and pasta to steak and seafood.
Start your feast with salt and pepper calamari on a bed of rocket with aioli and lemon, then twirl your fork around spaghetti with chicken and avocado in creamy sauce; perhaps tagliatelle with smoked salmon, Spanish onion and cream rose sauce entices, while pizza lovers pick up a slice with Napoli sauce, mozzarella, tandoori chicken, spring onion, Spanish onion, capsicum and yoghurt mint sauce.
Creamy Pasta Offerings
Views, brews, cocktails, beats and eats are on the menu at Lennox Head Pizza on Ballina Street in Lennox Head. Found less than a five-minute walk from the sands of Lennox beach, groups of friends sit side-by-side in booths of brown leather, sharing in a feast of flavours together surrounded by a warm and welcoming ambience, an inviting image for tourists to this seaside town.
An offering of popular favourites as well as more gourmet options for ravenous diners are created from fresh and locally sourced produce as well as a selection of wine and icy cold beers. Think pasta offerings like fettuccine carbonara with bacon, mushrooms and cream garlic sauce, or alfredo baked gnocchi with semi-dried tomato and Parmesan.
Pasta la Vista Baby!
Founded on the philosophy of fresh and fast food, Love Italy on Cavill Avenue in Surfers Paradise serves Champagne taste on a millennial budget. This newly revamped restaurant emits a cute and cosy setting with industrial décor and mood lighting to create an ideal vibe for lunch or a romantic dinner date. It might be cheesy, but their housemade dough will steal a pizza your heart with its secret mixture concocted from the freshest ingredients, topped with the likes of tomato sauce, chorizo, spicy pepperoni, chilli and mozzarella.
Say pasta la vista to comforting meals as you twirl a fork around fettuccine with prawns, salmon, calamari, baby capers and rocket leaves in herb and tomato cream sauce, or casarecce with creamy carbonara sauce, bacon and Parmesan; pizza lovers are in heaven over slices topped with spicy pepperoni and mozzarella on a herb and tomato sauce base.
Traditional Italian with Contemporary Flair
Nestled on the Esplanade with stunning views of Mornington Park and the bay, Mr Vincenzo’s offers a unique blend of traditional Italian flavours and contemporary flair. Step inside and be transported to a 1970s coastal retreat with distinctive décor including wine bottle-green floors, cork accents and sunny yellow walls; vintage photos of Napolitano beach add a touch of nostalgia, celebrating the rich Italian heritage that inspires culinary delights on the menu.
Snack on small plates of hiramasa kingfish crudo, blood orange and preserved orange dressing, or pork meatballs with sugo, Grana Padano and dill; before pasta choices such as lobster tortellini with bisque butter sauce, or spinach spaghetti, greens, wild garlic pesto, pistachio and stracciatella. Finish with baked cheesecake, butterscotch sauce and brown butter Graham crumb.
Balcony Views of the Yarra River
La Camera Southgate offers a touch of Italy among riverside treetops in Southbank. With two balconies offering views of the Yarra River and iconic Flinders Street Station, La Camera’s balmy alfresco areas are ideal for pre-theatre meals, business lunches or group get-togethers. Inside this family-owned and operated venue, vintage photographs, warm lighting and booth seating create a cosy yet versatile setting that interchanges between airy and casual by day to chic by night.
An extensive menu showcases an array of authentic Roman-style dishes, all made using fresh produce – think classic pasta plates of spaghetti carbonara with garlic, bacon and cream, or fresh linguine tossed with braised mussel meat, calamari, diced fish, garlic, chilli, prawns and extra virgin olive oil.
