Kawana Island may not be the first place you think of in Aus when on the hunt for some good Italian food, but perhaps it should be.
It's here you can find BV Pizzeria and Wine Bar, which serves up Italian meals that would do Melbourne's Lygon St proud.
While it's little-known by outsiders, it remains a local favourite.
Let's find out why.
It's here you can find BV Pizzeria and Wine Bar, which serves up Italian meals that would do Melbourne's Lygon St proud.
While it's little-known by outsiders, it remains a local favourite.
Let's find out why.
We kicked off our visit to BV Pizzeria and Wine Bar with some shared starters that had a Mediterranean twist.
The deep fried dates were awesome and unlike anything I had tried before. Lightly crumbed, the salty pancetta went so well with the fresh sweet dates and the almond in the middle added some great texture.
The cheeseboard made the most of some fantastic local cheeses and others straight from Europe. The Sardinian crisp bread was a perfect vehicle for the cheeses- not too filling like most other breads and biscuits are.
- Deep-Fried Dates with Pancetta, Celery Seeds and Almonds
- Tahliere Di Formaggi (Cheeseboard to Share) with Woombye Tallegio, Gorgonzola Dolce and Parmigiano Reggiano DOP served with Sardinian Crisp Bread, Quince Paste and Fresh Fruit
The deep fried dates were awesome and unlike anything I had tried before. Lightly crumbed, the salty pancetta went so well with the fresh sweet dates and the almond in the middle added some great texture.
The cheeseboard made the most of some fantastic local cheeses and others straight from Europe. The Sardinian crisp bread was a perfect vehicle for the cheeses- not too filling like most other breads and biscuits are.
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These next three meals were the absolute pinnacle of good Italian cooking.
The sand crab lasagne was jam-packed full of fresh, sweet crab meat. It was hands-down the best sand crab lasagne I have ever eaten, and I don't shy away from this dish when I see it on a menu. What set it apart was the basil and crab bisque which drenched the lasagne, so there was crab-on-crab action. Too good.
The pizza was a winner as well, with generous amounts of perfectly ripe avocado and tomatoes. The chicken had a lovely smokiness to it which made it really tasty and not too bland which can be a problem with chicken pizzas. The brie on this pizza gave it a really nice level of decadence too.
Lastly the carbonara was made in the traditional way without a spoonful of cream in sight and it was amaze-balls. The yolks were nice and rich with the smoky bacon, and the pasta itself was fresh, fresh, fresh.
- Lasagna Di Granchio with Sand Crab, Bechamel Sauce, Basil and Crab Bisque, and House Made Pasta Sheets
- San Marco Pizza with Smoked Chicken Breast, Baby Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes, Avocado, Tasmanian Brie Cheese and Chives on a Napoli Base
- Fettuccine Carbonara with Smoked Bacon, Egg Yolks, Parsley, Parmigiano-Reggiano and House Made Fettuccine
The sand crab lasagne was jam-packed full of fresh, sweet crab meat. It was hands-down the best sand crab lasagne I have ever eaten, and I don't shy away from this dish when I see it on a menu. What set it apart was the basil and crab bisque which drenched the lasagne, so there was crab-on-crab action. Too good.
The pizza was a winner as well, with generous amounts of perfectly ripe avocado and tomatoes. The chicken had a lovely smokiness to it which made it really tasty and not too bland which can be a problem with chicken pizzas. The brie on this pizza gave it a really nice level of decadence too.
Lastly the carbonara was made in the traditional way without a spoonful of cream in sight and it was amaze-balls. The yolks were nice and rich with the smoky bacon, and the pasta itself was fresh, fresh, fresh.
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We also made the most of the drinks menu with a bottle of Chianti and a mocha as our token dessert.
There were some brilliant-sounding desserts on offer, but we were so ridiculously full that the Meringa Alla Vaniglia (Vanilla Sponge layered with Lemon Curd Cream and finished with Burnt Meringue) would have been wasted on us.
There were some brilliant-sounding desserts on offer, but we were so ridiculously full that the Meringa Alla Vaniglia (Vanilla Sponge layered with Lemon Curd Cream and finished with Burnt Meringue) would have been wasted on us.
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If you're ever in the Sunshine Coast region and can't bear the thought of another serve of fish and chips for dinner, a trip to BV Pizzeria and Wine Bar for a hearty Italian meal may be the way to go.
Island-living has just gotten cultural.
Island-living has just gotten cultural.
