Pasticceria Caruso, Rhodes

Have you ever thought - I really need to treat myself? As I was leisurely shopping in Rhodes - this very thought came to myself and I indulged my senses at Pasticceria Caruso. You just need to take a closer look before you realise all the delicious treats available.

Pasticceria Caruso is located nearby the food court in Rhodes. However, there's a small dedicated seating area to the side of Pasticceria Caruso. On the weekdays, I'm told it's mostly corporate workers that visit and on the weekend there are lots of regulars. 

Pasticceria Caruso are known for their Cannoli Bazookas. It looks like a small bundle of sweetness. Matt tells me that he definitely wants to try one of their cannolis later on.

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Matt and I decide to eat savoury first before we indulge. I start off with a chai latte ($4). The Chai Latte is my go to in the morning as it has a sweet, smooth, vanilla and moderately spiced combination.  Matt goes for the chocolate milkshake ($5.80). Matt goes for the chocolatey sugar hit. I see the locals in the surrounding tables for their morning hit too.

I'm a bit hungry so Matt and I get straight into the Panini. The staff have kindly cut them up into smaller portions so they are easier to share. Firstly there's the Char grilled Eggplant, kalamata olives, cheese and mild salami ($7.50). The cheese was nicely melted and there was a good flavour combination of salami, eggplant and  olives. Matt comments that the bread should be more crunchy if it's a panini. I still enjoy the sandwich.

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Matt gobbles down the Proscuitto Panini ($7.50) with cured Italian ham, cheese and rocket. This is one of Matt's favourite combinations as he lovvveesss proscuitto. So I be polite and leave him the majority of this one to eat. I have more of the vegetarian panini ($7.50) with sun dried tomatoes, eggplant and rocket with cheese. I like the sun dried tomatoes in this sandwich.

I am now ready for some indulgence! So there's a whole cabinet full of cakes and treats that will be tempting. If you are looking for some take away - you could ask for a dessert platter. Matt and I absolutely went nuts and started eating our way through this platter. 

Overall the platter is like a mini Italian treat plate, the kind that you would only get if you knew legit Italians. So where to start?  Who loves Biscotti? Biscotti is a famous Italian almond biscuit. There are so many choices for biscotti at Pasticceria Caruso ($2.50 each) but we ultimately choose three - the dark cherry biscotti, pistachio biscotti and lemon biscotti. I love almond flavoured anything - so I enjoy the initial crunch of the dark cherry biscotti and the buttery it feels in my mouth. Matt devours the pistachio and lemon biscotti before I can look up.

What else was on our platter? We also enjoy the cannoli ($4.30) with the ricotta filling. One of those bazooka's would be amazing at a party.  I'm sure Matt could probably eat an entire Bazooka himself if I didn't stop him. I go for a bite of the Vanilla Sospiri ($5.50), which is best described as a little sponge cake with a pastry cream filling. It's often referred to as a sponge cake sandwich. Apparently "Sospiri" means Sigh in Italian which is what people did when they went to the bridge of sighs in response to the beautiful view. 

I also take a big bite out of the Berry Chantilly Tart ($4.90) which almost looks like a cheesecake to me, and Vanilla Slice ($4.90) looks very rustic and delicious. It's hard to choose a favourite as they all have different textures and flavours - but the theme is common - delicious, creamy and with a nice sweet lingering aftertaste.

Pasticceria Caruso also make cakes for various occasions and they also do corporate catering. Matt and I have had such a sugar rush after eating those delicious desserts. It's time for a nap.

Summary: Overall, I had a nice time at Pasticceria Caruso. It's a casual cafe in the Rhodes Shopping Centre. Their Italian sweets, cannoli bazookas and their cakes are definitely the highlight. Stop by and indulge your sweet tooth. 

Price: Treats vary from $2.50 to $5 individual portions

Location: Near the food court at Rhodes Waterside

Opening Hours: 
Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm
Sunday 10am to 6pm

Weekend Food Escapes dined as guests of the venue or their representatives. All photos, opinions and words are my own.