CBD: La Porchetta

I wasn't expecting much from this place. I've been to the Parnell branch before for pizza (and didn't really think much of it) and if it wasn't for the fact that it was a friend's birthday dinner I probably have ever gone to this restaurant (that's how much you mean to me you dick!)

Pasta was very crumbly and tough. Sauce tasted as it came out of a packet. Bacon was little / non existent. If it wasn't for the copious amounts of SoCo consumed I probably would have chucked a fit at the waiter.

3/10

Mt Eden: Gina's

As stated in the previous blog me and Wally decided to head to Ginas. I didn't have the fetta but instead had the spaghetti carbonara (mmm carbonara). Pretty damn good. Was served with a fork, a touch too creamy (but still good), not enough meat in it but in the end very delicious :)

8/10

Ginas - Fettucine con Frutti di Mare with aglio olio

Jerrold, Simon and I decided to head to Ginas to get some fettucine.

We turned up a were greeted with a friendly welcome. The restaurant was not quite as busy as I imagined it might be for a Friday lunchtime, but there were still more than a few tables of diners.

We consulted the menu and I chose Fettucine con Frutti di Mare with aglio olio, Jerrold opted for Spaghetti Carbonara (perhaps still reeling from the discovery that not all "feta" is Carbonara) and Simon ordered Spaghetti Bolognese. Mmmm. Oh yeah, I also ordered a side salad and as per the rules a glass of the house white (Zonin Soave Classico).

My meal was pretty enjoyable, oily, perhaps I would have preferred a little more garlic and one can't escape the feeling when paying $19.50 for pasta that you could have made it yourself (although in this case I'm no great seafood chef, so perhaps not, but I have made ravioli at home - mmmm). Strangely the dish seemed a little basic for my tastes (I like uncluttered meals), but perhaps given Gina's reputation I should give some of the other dishes a try. I'm definitely keen to try their Margherita as I'm yet to find a great one in Auckland.

Simon reports that his meal was (y), with the keyword "(y)" being particularly important.

Jerrold asked "Who's Ian?".

BTW a friend recommends the Limoncello di Sorrento as a dessert.

Spotted on the Blackboard at Niche

Fettuccine + Meatballs

It's on!

Santos is dead. Long live Santos!

Finally, an explanation for the lack of updates.

Santos has recently been bought out and renamed Niche!

Santos is dead. Long live Santos!

Sandringham: Papa's Pizza

Next step was Papa's Pizza (better than yo moma's) in Sandringham. First thing that surprised me was that they brought out the dish with a spoon ... which later started making sense as the dish was more fettuccine drowned in a carbonara instead of a sauce. Not as watery as Strawberry but not really that much better either ...

6/10

Parnell: Strawberry Alarm Clock

So a win to Gar and Walter, and though they may have won, I am still left without a place for good a fettuccine carbonara :(

A couple of weeks ago I tried the fettuccine carbonara at Strawberry Alarm Clock in Parnell. A good portion but was too cheesy and too watery for me to wolf down the whole thing.

6/10