LOCATIONA short walk from the beachfront along Port Melbourne’s busy shopping and dining strip.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIACiao Cielo means “hello heaven”, which must be the phrase that occurs to many diners when they set foot in this sleek Italian restaurant and gelataria. With a glistening array of 24 exquisite gelato flavours, this eatery tempts you to head straight for dessert, but with chef Bryan Nelson (formerly Stokehouse, Walter’s Wine Bar) at the helm, silky house-made pasta is also hard to refuse. Lunch choices are kept simple – bruschetta, panini, arancini and a range of pasta – but the combinations are delicious, be they classic (orecchiette puttanesca, spinach and ricotta ravioli) or modern (goat’s cheese, onion and almond ravioli with caramelised pear and seeded mustard cream sauce).
Daily specials might include char grilled chicken salad with nectarine and prosciutto or crispy skinned salmon. Alternatively try the duck arancini filled with goat’s cheese and served with star anise and orange mayo. Weekend breakfasts are also popular, as is Ciao Cielo’s bolognese bar which offers fresh pasta with the traditional sauce every Friday and Saturday night. For dessert it’s hard to go past the artisanal gelati made with real fruit and nuts, but also tempting are house-made tiramisu, muscat and vanilla creme brulee and churros served with Lindt dipping chocolate. With stunning food, chatty, friendly staff and a stylish interior straight out of Milano, this little ristorante is all class.
Angela Costanzo, April 2010