Cicchetti On Napier — Restaurant in Melbourne

ORDERED: 🍞​ Focaccia di casa: house made focaccia with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt flakes and rosemary ($12.00) 🥓 Cicchetti Antipasto: Our family own house made hot & mild salami with house made pickled green tomatoes, san danielle prosciutto, sicilian olives & taralli ($28.00) ​🐟​ Tuna Ceviche: Australian yellow fin tuna, shallots, parsley and lemon citrus dressing with seasoned avocado and dehydrated pork crackle ($26.00)

🐷 Porchetta: Stuffed pork belly with fennel & aromatics served with pickled fennel ($34.00) ​🍝​ House-made Gnocchi: Fresh gnocchi tossed in burnt butter, crispy sage topped with pane gratato (crispy fried breadcrumbs with chilli, garlic) and grana padano ($32.00) 🥔​ Patatine al forno: twice cooked roast potato with garlic & rosemary ($12.00)

REVIEW: For all the 5 star reviews, I was expecting something out of this world. Unfortunately, just found the dishes at Cicchetti nice but not mind blowing.

The antipasto doesn't come with bread, so the waitress was right in getting us to order the focaccia as well. I haven't had a "cheeseboard" in a while, so the combination of cured meats, cheese and olives was great to nibble on while making conversation. The tuna ceviche fell for me. I haven't had it with avocado before, but it gave what's normally a refreshing dish a very... creamy texture and didn't feel like the avocado brought out the flavour of the tuna.

Mains weren't as commercial as usual Italian places. It feels home cooked, especially with a dish like the porchetta. House-made gnocchi was decent, but found it uplifted with the chilli oil. Twice cooked roast potato was nice as well, but nothing out of the ordinary.

[Removed comment from review, from request of owner] Nonetheless, service was polite and the atmosphere felt more sophisticated with its dark green walls and beautifully architectural central lighting.

Cicchetti is a nice place if you're in the area, but not worth driving to...

🥖Whipped Ricotta, Toasted Hazelnuts and Pancetta 🍯 Prosciutto, Buffalo Mozzarella, Pistachio and Honey 🦑 Calamari Fritti 🟡 Goats Cheese Balls, Truffled Honey 🍏 Kingfish Ceviche, Chilli, Apple, Fennel 🧀 Croquette, Taleggio Cheese 🐖 Herb Crusted Pork Cotoletta, Pickled Fennel 🥩 Bistecca Alla Florentina 1KG, Salsa Verde

Cicchetti On Napier is a brand new Italian restaurant to the Strathmore area, only just opening their doors this March. The word Cicchetti means savoury snack or small share plate, originating from from Venice and influenced by the owners heritage. 🇮🇹

To more important matters, the food here is very well done. The Cicchetti were wonderfully fresh and the perfect starters, as were the Goats Cheese Balls and Calamari. The Lamb Cutlets were a hit, juicy and flavoursome and the Pork Cotoletta was perfect. You must try their Croquettes! 👌🏽

The star of the show was definitely the 1KG Bistecca, which was perfectly cooked medium-rare. They refuse to cook it any more than that and rightly so! Pair this with their Crispy Potatoes and you’re smiling ear to ear. 🥩

I think the venue is still finding its personality, I wasn’t sure if it was intending to be really formal or laid back. The vibe was still abit fresh and something that needs improvement, the music felt very dated, almost like being at a reception in the 2000’s. Overall very impressed with this newcomer, there wasn’t a dish we wouldn’t order again. For 5 adults and drinks came to roughly $70 a...

As someone of Italian heritage, I feel compelled to share some honest feedback following my visit.

Respectfully, I urge you to reconsider presenting your establishment as an “authentic Italian restaurant,” and in particular, to refrain from stating that you represent the cuisine and culture of Viggiano, in the province of Potenza, Basilicata.

As an Italian, it was unfortunately clear that the culinary execution, service, and overall experience did not reflect the depth, passion, or understanding of Italian culinary traditions.

The food lacked the heart and authenticity that defines true Italian cuisine. It came across as disconnected from the fundamentals of our culinary culture—something that cannot be mimicked without a genuine appreciation and knowledge of our traditions.

With the exception of one young Italian gentleman on the floor—who was evidently relied upon by the rest of the team for knowledge and support—your service staff did not appear to possess the familiarity or training required to deliver an experience that honours Italian food or hospitality.

I offer this feedback not out of criticism for criticism’s sake, but out of respect for the rich and nuanced culture you claim to represent. If you wish to associate your brand with a specific region of Italy and the word “authentic,” I encourage a deeper commitment to understanding and embodying the cuisine, the service style, and the cultural values...