Sorrento Restaurant

Saving The Best Till Last

WITH THE bad publicity surrounding Northbridge recently you would perhaps be forgiven for crossing the location off your dining out list. Unfortunately if you do you are missing out on the vibrancy and expert culinary offerings that this dining precinct can dish up.

One of these hidden and in recent times overlooked gems has been a landmark-dining establishment for nearly 60 years. Sorrento Restaurant in the heart of Northbridge has been a family run business since 1950 - a pretty impressive record in what is a fairly volatile industry at the best of times.

Part owner Alfonso Di Lanzo credits his restaurant's success not only to his fabulous staff and traditional Italian menu, but also to Northbridge itself and is clearly unfazed by the recent and harsh spotlight thrown on the area. "Northbridge is an institute - it will never die," Di Lanzo said. And lets hope it doesn't with establishments like Sorrento on offer.

Walking into Sorrento Restaurant you are met with bright yellow Tuscan arches with frescos on the walls depicting views of the restaurants namesake. With a wide alfresco area on the sidewalk, sitting inside or out at this establishment provides a unique way to sit and watch the world go by while enjoying the vibrancy of the Northbridge precinct.

Bubbly floor staff including Di Lanzo, are on hand to make your Sorrento experience one that will make it a regular on your eating out list and the fantastic food will have you coming back time and again.

Sorrento dish up a large selection of traditional Italian fare including fresh pastas and pizza cooked in an oven all the way from Naples. Mixed with crowd pleasers like the Surf and Turf and Oysters Kilpatrick, Sorrento has selection enough for everyone.

Using as many Italian ingredients as possible each dish is an authentic tribute to traditional home-style Italian cooking, like the entrée Gamberi Sorrento.

Seafood and in particular shellfish are a traditional Italian ingredient and the Gamberi Sorrento, or Prawns Sorrento, are the perfect start to a traditional meal. Served in a pink garlic cream sauce the prawns are fresh and meaty and while the sauce is deliciously rich and creamy a slight hint of chilli prevents it from over powering the prawns as some garlic sauces can. Hint: if you want a bit more of a kick ask for extra chilli!

Another popular entrée is the Gnocchi with Napolitana and Pesto Sauce. Served with fresh basil and shaved Parmesan this dish is anything but common. With melt in your mouth parcels of fluffy potato in a sauce made from fresh tomatoes this is yet another perfect start to a meal at Sorrento.

Being a traditional home-style Italian restaurant the wine list is of course impressive in itself. The large restaurant has an equally large and well-stocked bar and wine cellar selling local and imported liqueurs, beers and wines. With such a great wine list staff will be happy to help select the perfect wine either local or Italian to compliment your meal, be it by the glass or bottle!

For the Gamberi Sorrento we recommend the 2008 Rockfield Estate, Semillon Sauvignon Blanc. This woody Sem-Sav provides a smooth balance to the chilli dish and gives a clean finish after the rich cream sauce. Showing hints of citrus and berry it is the ideal crisp accompaniment to seafood.

Another dish that makes the most of fresh local seafood is the Petto di Pollo ai Gamberi (chicken with prawns). Succulent grilled chicken breast with creamy garlic prawns comes with crisp roasted rosemary potatoes and sautéed spinach. The fresh meaty prawns are again paired with a rich and creamy delectable sauce making this a main meal to remember.

The 2008 Frankland Estate, Isolation Ridge Vineyard Riesling goes well with the chicken dish. This crisp and unusually dry Riesling delivers slight citrus notes with floral overtones and gives the Petto di Pollo ai Gamberi an unexpected fruity finish.

An Italian menu wouldn't be complete without a good selection of veal and Sorrento's Veal Rib-Eye is a perfect example of a classic dish served to perfection.

The 400g plate-sized juicy T-bone served with creamy mash, fresh green beans and roasted tomato might catch out those with eyes bigger than their stomachs! This large meal will placate even the hungriest of carnivores.

Go for the imported 2006 Calatrasi Terre di Ginestra Nero d'Avola to match this steak. All the way from Sicily this wine is deep red in colour with an aroma of red cherry. Although a great match with red meat this intense red wine also makes a beautiful drinking wine.

Now, no matter how full you might be after sampling the gastronomic delights Sorrento has to offer you absolutely can't go home until you have tried one (or more!) of their desserts.

With traditional Tirimisu and Gelato available the old favourite Sticky Date Pudding shines through as an unexpected winner. With warm butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream this moist, light pudding with thick, rich sauce is sure to cause even the most figure conscious to succumb to this delicious dessert.

And if a lighter option is more to your taste the Ferrero Brandy Snaps will have you contemplating seconds! As the Ferrero Rocher ice cream with homemade brandy sauce, berry caulis and roasted hazelnuts served in a crisp brandy snap delivers a truly satisfying experience, mouthful by mouthful.

Sorrento Restaurant is open seven days for lunch and dinner so you have plenty of opportunity to make your way in to experience this authentic Italian experience. And if you think it's just another Italian restaurant, consider this - if Sorrento has been open longer than you have been alive - perhaps there's good reason!

by Lauren Norton