Vaporetto Bar & Eatery Hawthorn Italian Restaurant est 2014 — Restaurant in Melbourne

Looking for a new experience, we certainly got it but not in an ideal positive way.

None of the waiters and kitchen staff were Italian from a visual perspective and more Asian.

Greeting us upon entry via their main door instead of the mall; speaking Italian, adding a sense of disingenuous feelings for us to ponder upon.

Sitting down along a narrow passage on the left side of the establishment from the main entry next to the window and opposite their open kitchen.

A strong odur forms with a whiff of vegetable slash canola oil; which for a proper Italian establishment is a sacrilegious thought in using as opposed to olive oil and butter as their mainstream.

The decor is italian, though seating is squished. Playing techno dance music in the background is rather not appropriate, at least classical music or Italian?

Not deciding what we wanted, we were greeted with the lunch special for $49 per person. Although the dishes we ordered which was a Barramundi all' Isolana attracted an additional $10 and the Controfiletto 300g Angus beef with an additional $15.

Ordering the sparkling water, we got filtered tap water with a soda stream version where we were charged $19.80, rounded to $20 for two people.

The entre, i had two mushroom arancini balls which had a combination of risotto inside placed onto a white sauce. The taste was very artificial and chemical-like and immediately put me off with the earlier vegetable slash canola oil smell.

My partner had the Carpaccio di Manzo which was served with cured meat, rocket and sliced shavings of cheese. A true Italian version would be served with raw meat instead of a sandwich style version.

As for the main, my partner's Barramundi, complained about the fish stock which was not fresh and drenched onto the potato part of the dish. She did however liked the Barramundi and was able to finish that part but did complain to the waiter about the taste and the vegetables especially were disintegrating and unfresh.

As for my Angus which I clearly said "Medium Well", not noticing until one of the sliced up pieces was very gamy in my mouth. I looked down and asked the waiter for "Medium Well", as it looked more Medium Raw. So the waiter took it back and cooked it more.

Upon a second inspection, I said no, nothing has changed. So they took it back and recooked it again.

By the third time, on the outside it was cooked, though on the inside it was medium raw.

Anyway, the experience as a whole put us off, and upon asking for the bill, no considerations were given despite the mess they caused.

So in summary, if you want to go to an authentic Italian restaurant... this is really NOT it. Stay away, please save your money and avoid being ripped off.

We will definitely not come back here again.

Thanks for reading...

Tucked away just past Hawthorn’s ever-busy Yo-Chi and Lido Cinemas, Vaporetto is a longtime family favorite and a true gem for Venetian cuisine. Despite being just off Glenferrie Road’s chaos, stepping inside feels like an escape to Italy - rustic wooden decor, cozy bar seating, and walls adorned with trinkets and photos that transport you straight to Venice.

The seasonal menu ensures there’s always something new to try, but some staples remain: fresh seafood pasta, crispy calamari, and their classic tiramisu. For a taste of Venice on a tight schedule, the Express Lunch ($49) is a fantastic option, featuring dishes like Risotto al Nero with calamari and Ravioli di Zucca with pumpkin. They also offer great happy hour specials, making it a perfect spot for a relaxed drink.

Service is warm and welcoming, and we’ve even been treated to complimentary limoncello shots - a small touch that adds to the charm of the experience.

Favourites on the current menu: Smaller plates: Insalata – Cos Hearts, Pickled Celery, Chives, Toasted Walnuts, Gorgonzola Cheese, Apple Vinaigrette ($14) - such a perfect side dish Arancini – Crispy Mushroom & Taleggio Arancini (2), served with Truffle Mayo ($16) Caprese Salad – Yarra Valley Heirloom Tomatoes, Stracciatella Cheese, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Basil ($18) - can’t go wrong with this, fresh and contrasts to your heavier mains Wagyu Carpaccio – Wagyu Bresaola, Rocket, Parmesan, Fried Capers, Pickled Mushrooms, Black Truffle Mayo ($26) Calamari – Spiced Fried Calamari, Harissa Mayo, Herbs, Burnt Lemon ($24) - love their calamari as it’s light and the batter is well done. They even slightly charred the lemon Ostriche – Half Dozen Market Oysters, served over Ice with Lemon & Mignonette Dressing ($28)

Mains: Gnocchi al Ragu’ d’Agnello – Fresh Potato Gnocchi, Slow-Braised Lamb Shoulder Ragu, Pecorino Romano ($36) Linguine Busara – Squid-Ink Linguine with Mussels, Vongole, Calamari, Scallops & Prawns in Garlic, Chilli & Tomato Sugo ($39) Ravioli della Laguna – Saffron Ravioli filled with Scallops & Prawns in Blue Swimmer Crab & Roma Tomato Sugo, Smoked Caciocavallo Cheese ($38) Pollo e Patate – Char-Grilled Bannockburn Chicken Breast, Crushed Kipfler Potatoes, Romesco Sauce, Broccolini, Salsa Verde ($39) Classic Tiramisu ($16)

For those who love authentic Venetian flavors, Vaporetto is a must-visit - whether for a long, leisurely dinner or a quick Italian...

It is a hidden gem tucked away in the Hawthorn neighbourhood.

It’s just located right below my favourite Lido movie theatre. Step through the blue wooden door, brush past the flowers, and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to Venice. The atmosphere is wonderful, the environment is relaxing, the staff is lovely, and the dishes are absolutely delicious!

Vaporetto is one of those Italian spots where you can order anything and it’ll be amazing. We even ordered two appetizers by mistake and they turned out to be fantastic!

Here’s what we had: Baccala’ e Polenta - $19.9 Crispy Polenta Chips with Whipped Salted Cod Dip infused with Garlic and EVOO. The fish was very well-handled and refreshing, and the tortilla chips had a texture more like a healthy version of hash browns. A delightful appetizer.

Fegato alla Veneziana - $26.9 Duck Liver and Cherry Pate’ served with toasted Fruit Bread, House Mustard, Pickled Shallots, Zucchini, and Cauliflower. The greasiness of the duck liver pate was completely offset by the tartness of the pickles, and the combination with the thinly sliced fig raisin bread was perfect. We ended up asking for another fruit bread later.

Linguine “Busara” - $38.9 This super fresh Squid-Ink Linguine Pasta with Garlic, Chilli, and Tomato sauce was stunning. I absolutely loved it.

Controfiletto - $49.9 This dish included over 300g of char-grilled Angus Striploin served “Tagliata” style with Mushroom Trifolata and crushed Kipfler Potatoes. While it was less distinctive, it was very substantial for three very hungry stomachs. We ordered only 2 mains under the staff’s recommendation.

Our friendly reminder that they only have lunch on weekends and are only open in the evenings on weekdays. There is a 15% surcharge on Sundays, which is honestly a bit much, but in the current days, we’ll just have to understand and try to get used to it.

Just got an email from them that the Truffle Season menu is live and I can’t wait to...