Via Veneto - Melbourne

After a not so pleasant day at uni, I trekked down to Melbourne.
Funnily enough, the time it takes to go from Sydney to Melbourne is around the same (if not shorter) than my trip from uni to home.

After getting off the plane, food was on the agenda. As we head down Lygon street, a street filled with restaurants, the question of 'where to eat' did pop in our heads. But not for long.

Not because we chose where to eat.
But because we were dragged into a restaurant by an enthusiastic restaurant worker (apparently that's how they do it in Italy too).

Nonetheless, to me (a stranger to the city), one restaurant looked as good to me as another. So Via Veneto it was.

Via Veneto

(I apologise for the quality of the photos as my parents took my beloved camera overseas)

The restaurant offered free entree and drinks.
However, of the dishes, the "entree" was the last to arrive.

Chinotto - complimentary

Garlic bread - complementary

We decided on a pizza and a pasta.

The large Pescatora pizza ($25) was topped with prawns, scallops and calamari (and of course, lots of tasty cheese!). Wasn't the best pizza in the world, also not the worst. I also appreciated how it was nice and easy to cut with a knife and fork (you know how annoying it is when you try and be civilised but the pizza crust just won't give way).

Pescatora pizza - $25

We also chose the Tagliatelle Romanesca ($22.90). This was tagliatelle pasta with chicken, mushrooms, and avocado, all in a cream sauce (and for me, topped with lots and lots of parmesan). My partner commented on how it is rare for avacado to be cooked. And it is rare, probably for good reasons. I much prefer avacado non-cooked, but I guess it wasn't too bad, a little mushy and soft, but still, adds some nice flavour and texture to the meal. And as I just love cream sauce, I would consider any type of pasta in cream sauce to be a nice pasta.

Tagliatelle Romanesca - $22.90

So overall, it wasn't the best italian food I have ever eaten, but it definitely wasn't bad. We were both indefinitely full by the end of the meal, so much so that dessert failed to entice me.

Rankings:
Food - 5/10
Service - 5/10
Ambiance - 6/10
Value for money - 5/10
Overall - 21/40

Via Veneto
234 Lygon St
Carlton, 3053
Tel: (03) 9663 3151