Villa D'Este Restaurant

LOCATION
In West Perth, just minutes walk from Perth's CBD.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Since opening in 1994, Villa D'Este has earned many accolades ranging from Gold Plates to American Express awards. The restaurant is cosy and inviting with a beautiful garden terrace perfect for lunches. With sponged walls, terracotta tiles and topiary plants, Villa D'Este has a distinct European feel that makes even the most ocker Australian feel at home. Catering predominantly to the local corporate clientele by day, many a deal has been done over the fine Italian fare this restaurant has become famous for.

The menu is easy to follow and has many dishes to choose from, starting with traditional antipasti, then primi (entrees), followed by secondi (mains) and of course dessert. There is also a range of chef's recommendations such as homemade pastas, rotisserie dishes and wood-fired oven creations that are definitely worth considering. Think king prawns and scallops cooked in the wood-fired oven with garlic butter or a combination of lamb, duck and piglet roasted on the rotisserie and you are on the right track. Afficionados of Italian cuisine will adore the daily changing antipasti while those looking for adventure may like to sample the lumache alla tellina � snails cooked in their shells with red wine, butter, garlic and parsley. Not for the faint hearted but certainly worth trying. Crustacean fans will adore the range of shellfish on offer such as Western Australian crayfish, Moreton Bay bugs and king prawns, but the fish of the day (served in three alternative styles) is a house favourite. Just to make your decision a little tougher, your waitperson will also explain a range of daily specials that are simply irresistible. If you're looking for a restaurant to impress your business associates or future mother-in-law (who also happens to be Italian), look no further than Villa D'Este.

Karen Bilsby