Saturday, November 15, 2008

Mezzapica Cafe & Cakes

Address: 128 Norton St LEICHHARDT NSW 2040
Tel: (02) 9568 2095
Fax: (02) 9560 3221

Open 7 days (but only during the morning on weekends)

Finally got back to this place to do a proper review! They are known for their cakes next door (chocolate cannoli!!!), but this is their cafe (which also sells their cakes, for double the price).

Below: This was a light lunch, for entree it was build-your-own bruschetta. I don't like having to make my own food in a restaurant, but at the same time the bread was incredibly fresh, crusty and warm and this would not be have been realised or appreciated had the bruschetta been pre-loaded.


Below: Lemon Pepper Calamari, served on a bed of rocket with fries. I didn't actually eat this because lately I've sold out and excluded deep-fried items from my personal palette, but was told it was a refreshing meal - calamari adequately but not overcooked (you can usually tell by the colour & texture) and it actually looked as though they have you more than 3 rings!

Below: Chicken pasta with gnocci (potato pasta) - potent flavours such as a grilled/smoked chicken was used, tomatoes, basil leaves, possibly spinach. Like a true pasta, it was sealed in an oil and the the oils from the meat rather slapping a sauce on the pasta.


Whatever you do, please try the pastas! This is real pasta, made with thought, and a fusion of flavours from the existing combination of ingredients. An aromatic & orgasmic pasta experience!

Highly Recommended: Chocolate Cannoli (also available next door in cake shop for $2.50)

The cake shop was closed by the time we finished lunch, but have this as dessert! Cannoli is a pastry dessert, a square piece of puff/pastry with opposite corners rolled up, and made into a tubular shape. This tube is then filled with either chocolate cream, custard or whatever else people like to fill cannoli with, and dusted in icing sugar. Texture of the pastry is hard and crunchy, and probably coated in some orange-sugar water glaze to give it sheen & the pastry a sweet taste. Eat it fresh though because the oil tends to seep through the paperbags they come in by the time you get home...