Capriccio Osteria, Leichhardt

Head Chef Nicole Bampton is a genius! She's taken all her tasty technique from her time at Tetsuya and Lucio's and brought them to the new venue Capriccio Osteria located in Leichhardt. MW and I had a nice date night at Capriccio Osteria recently and our expectations were surpassed. Nicole is keeping it classy in Leichhardt. Get your tastebuds ready because her quality of cooking is hatted quality...

What does Capriccio Osteria represent? Capriccio Osteria is the meeting place for hair-raisingly good Italian cuisine with a modern twist. 

Capriccio Osteria has a dimly lit downstairs area that is intimate and upstairs is more well light with a modern decore. Sometimes you look at the descriptions of a menu and you may overlook a total gem because you like sticking to your favourites. I decide to leave it to the gods tonight. But first, a drink. 

MW goes for a Duel Beer, a craft beer which is inspired by European lagers with some more hops. It's a refreshing beer to accompany the meal. I go for something a bit stronger. Rose Negroni ($18) with campari, cocchi rosato and orange vodka. What a fruity but strong cocktail.

For a limited amount of time, you can order off the special truffle menu (while it's the tail end of the season). I couldn't resist but order the wagyu beef rump carpaccio with truffle mayonnaise, jerusalem artichoke crisps finished with shaved black truffle ($35).

What an amazing combination. The thinly sliced beef carpaccio carries so much flavour with the light truffle mayonnaise and sliced truffle. The crispy artichoke adds a crunch texture and balances this dish out very well. I see MW's eyes light up with delight as he demolishes this entree. Delicious! I highly recommend this dish.

So earlier, I was talking about dishes you rarely order and boy am I glad I took the recommendations from the staff. MW would have never ordered a vegetarian dish but I have to say that the multiple foodgasms have won us over. 

THE MUST ORDER DISH is in the Ravioli filled with pumpkin and ricotta, sage brown butter and almonds with a twist ($28). Nicole Bampton is a genius. 

The pasta is freshly made on site and this is not your average burnt butter pasta - it's a smooth pumpkin and ricotta pasta that is meshed with a mildly sweet and nutty sauce. I won't ruin the twist but you have to taste this sauce. It's absolutely foodgasmic. The flavour is bold and incredibly tasty.

For those wanting a more subtle, fresh and simple dish. I suggest ordering the Lemon Fazzoletti with scallops, chilli and basil ($27). The pasta sheets are really FRESH with a subtle lemon flavour that compliments the scallops. There's also a slight hint of chilli and basil to bring your traditional flavours together. Loved this dish.

So while MW and I have really enjoyed the pasta dishes. I know MW is craving some protein. We decide to share the perfectly cooked Spatchcock, cauliflower and white bean puree, cime di rape and roasted onion ($35). This is a classic dish that will hit the spot as it's homely and inviting with crispy skin and moist flesh.

For dessert, while the menu has some real tempting fusion creations. I couldn't resist the dessert on the limited edition truffle menu. I had to order the Honeyed ricotta and truffle cheesecake with a hazelnut crust and muscat poached pear ($26). What a wonderful way to finish the meal. The flavours perfectly mesh particularly the pear, cream cheese and that truffle.

Summary: While parts of Leichhardt are cheap and cheerful, Capriccio Osteria brings a new wave of innovation, class and foodgasm galore. I highly recommend checking out this new venue - the must order dishes are the Ravioli filled with pumpkin and ricotta, sage brown butter and almonds with a twist and secondly truffle dishes (while you can).

So good. Perfection.

Price: Mains are $30-35ish

Location: 159 Norton St, Leichhardt

Opening Hours: 
Closed Monday
Tues - Thurs 4pm to 10pm
Fri - Sat 12pm to 10pm
Sunday 12pm to 9pm

Weekend Food Escapes dined as guests of Buzz Marketing Solutions. All photos, opinions and words are my own.