Al Fornetto

"The Moods and Foods of Italy", says the business card of the proprietor, Cosimo Trichilo, and indeed that is just what Al Fornetto provides. From the al fresco café area facing on to Scarborough Beach Road to the elegant function area at the rear, this fully licensed (BYO wine only) restaurant perched just by Dewsons is a little piece of Italy in Doubleview. The restaurant, which has been open for three years, can seat up to a hundred or so, and is open seven days a week from 9am till late, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as coffee & cake. They also have an extensive take-away menu offering pizza ($12.50 to $16.50), pasta ($10 to $12), etc. and there is a separate entrance at the rear for customers picking up takeaways.

On the day that Scott and I visited Al Fornetto, I had been so busy that I hadn't had time for lunch. It was probably just as well, as Cosimo brought out a veritable feast of Italian dishes for us to try out. First and foremost was the pizza, and I have to say, that if I lived a bit closer to Doubleview, Pizza Hut would have lost my trade forever. This was definitely my favourite dish - in fact I would go back there again just for the pizza. There was not a trace of grease or oiliness. It was made with lovely fresh ingredients: mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato, capsicum, olives, etc. The texture of the base was perfect. Bellisimo!

Next to arrive was a bowl of chilli mussels and a plate of Spaghetti Marinara (mixed seafood in a napoletana sauce). I'm not over fussed on mussels but I tried one and they weren't bad - and the chilli sauce was not too hot. Scott certainly tucked into them and polished them off in no time. The spaghetti was very nice and went well with my glass of Fifth Leg Semillon Blanc. I resisted the temptation to eat it all, which was just as well, as there was more to come.

"Now the main course", says Cosimo, overseeing the delivery to our table of two more dishes: Saltimbocca (tender, thinly sliced veal with coppa and mozzarella in a white wine and cream sauce), which I quite enjoyed, (Scott said he thought its strong flavours would suit the more mature palate), and Chicken Breast, filled with spinach, capsicum & fetta, grilled till golden brown and served on a bed of mashed pumpkin and potatoes with tomato salsa. Both were delicious but by this time we were both feeling quite full and only managed to eat about half of each dish.

After a little break to allow our appetites to recover, we finished off with coffee and cake. By this time the restaurant was humming with conversations as people had drifted in while we were busy eating and the place was now quite full. I noticed that a lot of people were eating pizza, which confirms my earlier opinion of its popularity.

The atmosphere at Al Fornetto is very relaxed and comfortable, the staff are friendly and helpful and the food is excellent value. Whether you just want a quick snack or a coffee in the café area, a delicious meal at any time of the day or a pizza or pasta dish to take home, this is a great place to find it. They can also cater for functions or group bookings - weddings, parties, anything!

By Georgina Goss