Julio's Restaurant

Fresh, Flavoursome and Fantastic

There has been a lot said about Julio's lately and as far as I'm concerned all of it is true. Delicious food, great prices and excellent service, yep you heard right - this fine-dining Italian eatery has all of this in spades and more.

I arrived a little earlier than my eating companions and was greeted by co-owner Egidio Squillace who has cooked for the likes of Donatella Versace, Valentino and Bob Dylan. Oozing the charm that is associated with all things European, it seems this relaxed Italian is never fazed. Having taken over Julio's just five months ago he has added his own twists on some classics while keeping with the tradition that is Julio's.

Sipping a glass of wine, I waited for my two dinner guests and inspected the architecture of the old building - the high ceilings, the open fire places and the white colored walls. It definitely had an old-school feel to it.

Once my guests arrived we were taken to the front of the restaurant to eat alfresco. It was a gorgeous sunny day and with daylight saving still in force we thought why the heck not. First on the hit list was the Insalata di Polipo (Octopus salad). Served with a 2005 Voyager Estate Chardonnay, this dish lay on a bed of rocket, celery and carrot and was drizzled with olive oil - the ideal way to start the Julio's experience.

Next up was the Fegatini alla Calabrese (Chicken livers). I know I know, not a favourite amongst many - myself included - but I was assured by Egidio this would be different. And different it was. Served with fresh Italian crostini and some olive oil, this spicy dish was, despite my trepidation, quite impressive.

After a couple of light starters we were ready for our mains which included meat, seafood and pasta dishes. The Filetto Del Contadino (beef fillet) with crispy leek on a bed of potato rosti in a mushroom and wine sauce has us feeling chuffed. It was a sneak peak at a new recipe the team at Julio's was looking at introducing to the menu. The beef fillet was cooked just the way I like it - medium - and was absolutely delicious accompanied with the recommended Barossa red Egidio. It went down brilliantly well - just magic!

The Fettuccini alla Francavilla - fettuccini with Morton Bay bugs, hazelnuts and parsley pesto in champagne sauce - was exquisite. The freshness of all the ingredients was evident to the eye and the tastes were so flavoursome we were left begging for more. But we weren't finished yet as there was definitely more where that came from. Egidio and his team had only just begun.

Unfortunately I am allergic to pine-nuts so I sat out and watched while Gemma and Scott excitedly shared the next meal, the Agnello del Pastore, an oven roasted rack of lamb filled with spinach and pine-nuts served with a red wine and mint jus. With envy in my eyes I asked them how it was, and they told me that quite frankly it was awesome. I on the other hand devoured the Gnocchi Primaver, a calamari and asparagus gnocchi. Plump and (yep you guessed it) fresh, this meal was light and tasty and hardly touched the sides!

The seafood platter or Il Piatto del Julio's was next. It was a mixed seafood plate filled to the brim with king snapper, scallops, prawns, calamari and Morton Bay bugs served in a potato and asparagus lemon salsa. Our eyes lit up as Egidio brought this towards us and just between you and I, I could have easily downed this one on my own. The seafood was fresh (of course) and the crispy potato medallions melted in my mouth. It was a great meal for a summer's day enjoyed with a drop of the 2006 Pinot Grigio Delle Venezle.

With the mains now out of the way it was time to sink our teeth into the sweet treats awaiting us. As a complete surprise to us Egidio thought he would dazzle us (as though he hadn't already) with his magic. First out was the Cigno di Ananas, which was pineapple served with sorbet and Galliano. You may think fruit is boring, but no not at Julio's. This colourful desert had us all agasp. A work of art, the pineapple came out shaped like a swan with a scoop of lemon sorbet resting on top. Almost afraid to eat it, we admired it for a few minutes umming and ahhing at the architecture before us, then we picked it to pieces leaving no stone unturned. It was extremely refreshing and like the tone of the day, crisp, fresh and delicious. You may think that was the end of it there but there was one more desert to go, the Pannacotta al Pistachio (pistachio flavoured pannacotta). This dish was light, fluffy, beautifully presented and just delightful, a perfect way to finish off the Julio's experience.

Having treated celebrities all over the world it is surprising to see Egidio Squillace is a man of little fuss. Modest yet proud he and the team at Julio's enjoy putting smiles on happy diners time and time again and they certainly outdid themselves this visit.

Julio's also offers a different Degustation night once a month. See the web site for more details.

They put the F in fresh, flavoursome and fabulous and it is a place I will be sure to visit again soon.

By Belinda Cipriano