LOCATIONAt the Manuka shops.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAWhile Italian food is hardly novel in Australia, and we can safely say it is a cuisine that has become a household staple, it is still nice to go out and have someone else do the cooking once in a while. So, if you’re in the mood, look no further than Belluci’s – a household name in Canberra, renowned for serving up delicious cuisine since 2000. The sleek interior of the Manuka Belluci’s, and its propitious placement in the cafe district, belie the heartfelt “just like mama” dishes being prepared inside. Polished concrete and glass walls can make it a noisy (but pleasant) dining experience. Popular with groups and families, it can fill up quickly on busy weekend nights – so book ahead and don’t expect romantic intimacy.
That said, you should expect some finely crafted dishes. A short-but-sweet wine list has some classic Italian wines, as well as more unusual varieties both from here and abroad. Nothing can beat a glass of Terradora Dipaolo, grown and fermented on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, to wash down some hearty Italian food. Start with the daily soup – the minestrone is an explosion of fresh vegetable flavours – or try the crispy-skinned quail, served on a bed of spinach and mushroom risotto with a warming orange and ginger glaze. From there the options are as you would expect – pizza or pasta. However, the gnocchi gorgonzola, made with hand-rolled gnocchi, creamy gorgonzola, lightly toasted walnuts and asparagus is a must-have. In the pizza department it’s hard to resist the un-Italian charms of the Belluci’s special: smoked chicken, avocado, bacon, onion, tomato and Caesar salad dressing. Not traditional, but delicious nonetheless. Of course, an Italian meal must finish with a generous helping of tiramisu, and Belluci’s comes through with a delicious version of the traditional Tuscan trifle.
Russell Buzby, June 2009