Profiled by de Groots MediaCucina Bar and Restaurant is tucked among a number of local eateries and restaurants on a busy strip of Sandgate Road, not far from Brisbane’s inner city. In recent years the Albion Hotel has undergone a makeover, the highlights of which are the drastic improvements made to the restaurant. On entering Cucina, the feel is undeniably Tuscan, with a neat courtyard complete with pencil pines, dark wooden tables, and comfortable wicker chairs. Choose a seat inside, or in the courtyard beneath a chocolate brown umbrella that will shield you from the bright sun.
The menu, like the setting itself, is Tuscan in principle with an Australian twist to it. Cucina focuses on crisp clean flavours, illustrating the effect that a few simple ingredients can have compared to heavyily over-complicated dishes. The antipasto selection is a perfect example; prosciutto is paired with melon, tomato is melded with buffalo mozzarella and scampi are tossed with garlic butter. Thin-based pizzas, tortellini, pastas and veal are among the many options on the menu. A highlight would be the aragosta tortellini con scampi, a delicious combination of lobster and crab tortellini with tiger prawns and crayfish cream.
Meagan Hepworth, March 2008
