A quick meal: Italian Mussels

After a night of Sichuan Hotpot, there are so much left over. What can I do with them, if I don't want another round of hotpot? Going through the fridge and found myself with some mussels. Let make Italian mussels! :)

Tasmanian Mussels

In the cupboard found this sauce, Arrabbiata, with a dash of chili. Good enough to be the base!

Barilla: Arrabbiata

Heat the pot with garlic and shallot. (I found later that brown onion should be more tastier).

Chopped Garlic

Chopped Shallot

Added shallot and parsley to garnish. 

Ready to Serve

I have toasted a few slice of bread to mop up all the jus! :D

I would like to mop up the dish with more toast please!

Otto Ristorante, Woolloomooloo

What's great about dining in Sydney is that you can easily find a place with waterview! This time we went to Otto Ristorante at the Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf. Chef has organised for us the entree and dessert. All we have to choose is the main. Even though everything on the menu seems very nice... struggling to pick which one shall I go for? 

 Olives and Bread Sticks

We start off with some complimentary bread, bread sticks and olives. We are sharing our entree or Primi and every dish seems it is in a very large portion! :O 

 Carpaccio Di Manzo

The beef carpaccio, raw and thinly sliced, with the capers and parmesan. It is so smooth that it just slips down my throat. The parmesan and capers helps to bring out the full favour of the beef. 

 Crudo Di Tonno Con Granchio e Melanzne e Rucola

Another carpaccio dish that we have is the raw tuna with smoked eggplant puree, crab meat and apple. This is different to the beef one and I prefer the beef over tuna. 

Fiori Di Zucchina Al Baccala Con Asparagi e Pomodorini

I really love zucchini flowers. It was deep fried and stuffed with baccala, salt cod. The cherry tomatoes is fresh and juicy and I cant stop myself picking them to eat. The asparagus is young and crunchy. 

Capesante Con Purea Di Sedano Rapa e Zafferano

The presentation of the scallop is very nice. You can taste the freshness of the scallop as well. 

 Today's Special: Pork Ribs

Here comes our main, I have chosen the today's special, pork ribs. Interesting to find that pork can be cooked to medium. I always thought that pork has to be cooked well done? However, I cannot get my mind set to medium so I have requested to cook mine to well done. It turns out to be as lovely as the medium cook one. The cracking was very nice! 

Lingua Di Manzo Con Peperoni Marinati e Crostini All'aglio

Wagyu beef tongue was my choice before I am aware of the today's special. (The photo taken is not as good.) The tongue is really tender and it just melted in your mouth.

Strozzapreti Al Gamberi

Today's Special: Grilled Snapper

Risotto Agli Spinaci Con Burrata

Other mains which we have ordered are strozzapreti artisan pasta with yamba prawns, garlic, chili and black olives with tomato and calamari sauce, grilled whole snapper and spinach risotto. 

Semifreddo Al Balsamico Sorbetto Alle Fragole Pepe Nero

We cant complete our meal without tasting Chef's desserts. He has organised for us a fair few of the dishes to share among us. 

Mousse Di Carprino Con Fichi e Capperi

Never thought of goat cheese can be a dessert. I normally would have goat cheese in savory dishes. This time in dessert, very interesting!

 Panna Cotta Con Frutti Di Bosco e Sciroppo Di Ribes

Can you imagine having panna cotta on a plate instead of a cup? This is a very creative.

 Brule Di Allo Zafferano Con Sorbetto Alle Arancie Rosse

The saffron brulee with grapefruit sorbet is too pretty to dig in.

 Stravaganza Di Cioccolate

It is our friend Cameraman's belated birthday. Chef has organised this surprise for him. It is a chocolate tasting plate. In particular, I like the hazelnut mocha brulee with its rich favour.

We have eaten this meal from bright daylight till dark at night and enjoying a bit of sea breeze. We are dreaming whether one day we can dock our boat at the jetty there?

Otto Ristorante

8/6 Cowper Wharf Road

Woolloomooloo NSW

(02) 9368 7488

Fifteen, Melbourne

Walking around the whole of the Melbourne city... finally we have found a place to eat!! If Miss C hasnt been here before, I wouldn't think or notice a restaurant is here!! We are sitting at the bar table. Since we are rushing to watch a show afterwards, we quickly decide what we will have and place our orders. We spent time taking photos and the pairs came after us already started eating. We started to worry how come our dishes are not yet ready??? We asked the waiter and found that our orders havent placed into their system!!! After sorting out the orders etc, our dishes finally came... after an hour!!

Berkshire pork belly with cotechino sausage, celeriac, apple sauce and salsa verde 

My friend order this pork belly. The pork is quite tender and the skin is quite crisy.

Zucchini wrapped wild barramundi with chickpeas inzimino, chorizo and basil oil

The crisy fish skin is quite interesting. Seldom see the skin is being served. 

Lyndale Park organic lamb with neck bolognese, creamy cannellini beans, broccolini and pea shoots

The cannellini beans is not as creamy as it said... but quite nuty. But overall this dish is nice. :)

Pan roasted duck breast and confit leg with parsnip purée, shallot ‘tortino’ and black cabbage

Unfortunately, this duck is not properly cooked. Since we were in a rush, my friend did not ask them to re-cook it. 

Butternut pumpkin risotto with seared Hervey Bay scallops, crispy sage and scallop bottarga

The risotto is quite bland not as interesting as its name.

Running out of time to try out their dessert. 

Fifteen Melbourne
Basement 115 - 117 Collins Street
(Enter through George Pde)
Phone: 1300 799 415