La Rosa Bar & Pizza

Well if there hasn't been a week of drinking like this one. We began on Tuesday with the flow of Melbourne Cup Day bubbles and wine and I've been drinking every night since then as we had travelled for work and that always involves a tipple of two.

The last drinks to end the tumultous work week though were these pretty cocktails with @Jay2DaL at La Rosa Bar & Pizza on level 3 of The Strand Arcade. A bustling pizzeria in the heart of the city and a very lovely way to end the week.

There has been a seamless process to book this table. The staff engages very attentively to the booking process and remembers every single request made, including one that asked for the centerpiece table in the restaurant. The one under the chandelier:

 These were the pretty cocktails we had:

La Rosa Rosolio- La Rosa Rose Cocktail

 A sourish refreshing gin-based cocktail. Girly enough to look pretty but strong enough to lift the spirits.

Espresso alla Liquerizia Martini-Espresso & Liquorice Martini

 A sweet coffee martini that is that awesome wake-me-up from a long day at work.

 We started with some shared entrees and that included a selection of cured meats with Grissini, bread and Olives. The Wild Boar sausage was divine and definitely more-ish.

Mains were also great sharing plates too. Of particular enjoyment were the pizzas and pastas:


 

Spaghettini with Braised Chicken and Rosemary   

Prawns, Zucchini, Tomato, Mozzarella and Garlic

Rigatoni Pasta with Prawns, Minced Calamari, Olives & Chilli 

 Everything was of the right flavours, fresh and beautifully seasoned. I didn't have to even use any of the Chilli oil or Parmesan cheese that was brought to the table. Pastas were the right kind of al dente and the seafood was perfectly cooked. We certainly didn't mind overloading on the carbs that night. I must say though, one does fill up really quickly on the pizzas as they are quite sizeable ones. It is truly difficult to restrain I know when the Mushroom pizza comes highly recommended too.

Zeppola - Traditional Potato Dough Doughnuts with Vanilla Bean Gelato   

A lovely way to end off the evening was a small Potato Doughnut steeped in Caramel sauce. Sickly sweet and so sinful, but we've got the sunny weekend to work it off, that's alright.