Il Bacaro — Restaurant in Melbourne

Delicious food, although very small portions, in a very small venue. Gourmet food with a price to match.

I had high expectations of this venue after hearing from a work colleague this was the suggested restaurant to book for our wedding anniversary. I was told you will be impressed, The expats from Italy who run this venue make a wonderful Italian experience. He told me upon entry you will be given drink 🍸 without asking as part of the welcome service.

This is what I can tell you what did happen, upon arriving to the very busy venue, a few minutes early of our 6.30 booking, we were greeted by a friendly young man behind the bar. The young man waved over a gentleman and mentioned we had a booking. After checking a piece of paper he’d been unable to find our booking and Told me”You don’t have a booking”. Within seconds he discovered our booking, and “we can be relieved of the panic attach”. We were then directed to a nice table for two beside the bar. No drink provided on entry - even after loosing, although briefly, our reservation.

The waiter was very nice, speaking English but nicely splashing a little bit of Italian here and there, offering a choice of water, providing fresh bread with olive oil, telling us the specials and apologetic for the noise of such a busy restaurant.

The specials sounded spectacular, of which I would have loved to try them all. My wife settled for the entrée calamari and I the main fish with asparagus side. The food arrived quickly but the main fish was very small, the calamari entrée was bigger. My wife was pleased in the calamari was cooked the way she likes it. The fish and asparagus was delicious and cooked beautifully.

We didn’t stay for desert or coffee but noticed an relaxed friendly farewell from the staff upon our departure with the door opened for us leaving.

I wished to provide a better rating but found the prices for around $50 main for fish, lack of formal booking process to make us feel welcome tended to disappoint. Maybe we visited on a night to busy and my expectations were talked up by my...

ORDERED: 🍄 Porcini, polenta, castagne, porro: porcini mushrooms, polenta, chestnut, leek ($32.00)

🍛 Risotto cacio e pepe, tartufo nero: Risotto, cacio e pepe, black truffle ($45.00 main size) 🍝 Spaghettini, cicale di mare, "olio visadi", rucola ($55.00 main size) 🥦 Broccoli e cavolfiore gratinati, prezzemolo: Broccoli & cauliflower gratin, parsley crust ($18.00)

This came to $94.00pp which included a mocktail each.

REVIEW: We were taken out by the sheer amount of food. We were almost able to finish everything, save for the last couple of bites. We were rolling out the door!

Food: 🤎 1. Favourite was the porcini entree. It had everything I like - earthiness from the porcini mushroom, dreamy creamy polenta, snappy crispy leek. I'm big into textures and this was such a fantastic dish. 🥗 2. I haven't seen the broccoli and cauliflower gratin on the menu before. It was great because it seems like a uniquely VERY italian dish that hit all the carb notes from the decadent bechamel sauce. It's my sorry excuse for a salad that turns out to be much heavier than I expected! Risotto congealed over time, so I would advise you to get to this dish as soon as possible!

Service: ⭐⭐⭐ 1. I appreciated how the kitchen split up our spaghettini into 2 plates, and left the risotto as a plate to share. This was so thoughtful, and made our dining experience more efficient - bless!! Other reviewers mention the attentiveness. Apart from seeing our waiters when taking our order and delivering the food with a jovial attitude, I didn't even see their shadow 🤣.

Overall, Il Barcaro is worth visiting and I had a good...

One might imagine that if you're planning to visit this restaurant, this review will be of little consequence. You're likely not interested in good service or authentic, rustic Italian food. Instead, you're seeking a hefty price tag, a recognizable brand name, and a pretentious atmosphere to impress your friends. These qualities, I believe, best define this restaurant.

The service was simply average. The waitress was polite and competent, but the maître d' exuded the aura of someone who believed he had better things to do and more important people to see. I suggest you arrive dressed in your finest attire; otherwise, you might be perceived as little more than an inconvenience.

The food was also adequate. The steak was well-cooked, and the risotto had a nice flavor, but neither dish was exceptional in any way. The biggest disappointment was the bisque. It's hard to imagine in what universe this could be called a bisque. Typically, a bisque is a smooth, creamy, and highly seasoned soup. What we received was a cold, frothy horror show that cost nearly $40.

I don't want to be overly harsh. The experience was fine, and frankly, it was what I expected upon first entering the restaurant. However, at $193, plus the hype, this was the biggest letdown of our time in Melbourne. It's all show and...