Officina Gastronomica Italiana

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Posted 2025-01-06 by Jen ⇒ follow

Images - Writers Own

I'm totally in love. In love with a restaurant that makes no apologies for proudly naming itself Officina Gastronomica Italiana which is absolutely befitting, classy, and wonderful, but one that does not flow off my tongue, or comes to my mind easily when I go looking for it (ummm - what was it called again), on Instagram but only because I've only been to it twice, two days in succession. Totally impressed and obsessed, and so conveniently 'in the hood' - my hood - easily reachable and dangerously close enough to act on strong temptations to keep going back, and that I obviously already did.

Going to lunch with friends at another restaurant just down the road from OGI (as they're listed on Insta), they decided we should go for coffee and cake somewhere else - a place they knew. I'm so grateful for having been introduced to this little slice of Italy nestled on Malvern Road at number 532-534, in Prahran. The lattes and cake on Saturday were magical. It was just one of those days when the atmosphere sings, a cosy eatery with the feels and homeliness of Little Italy, and hospitality and personality plus from staff on the day. It's definitely going on my list of local favourites, and one I'm going to keep inviting friends to, so they get to experience the warm atmosphere as well, plus what a great excuse to keep going back.

We had orange cake, flourless chocolate cake and an almond croissant at our table, coupled with good strong lattes in thick fluted glasses which we couldn't help but comment upon, as they just impressed with how they looked and felt in the hand. I asked for suggestions, and the priceless Pricilla behind the deli counter recommended the flourless chocolate for me, and told me it was moist, even though to the eye it looked like a brownie - with little fissures appearing as cracks, giving it the appearance of being dry. She knows her cakes - as it was super moist, and rich, and it doesn't take a lot to satisfy.

Sunday is family day for us, and I dragged everyone to OGI for brunch, gushing about how the atmosphere was so good, and I couldn't wait to try their restaurant menu. OGI is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and has a different menu for dinner which I obviously can't wait to go back and experience, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. We sometimes graze before moving on to another restaurant, and this is what we did. We had Nonna's Meatballs; Fried Calamari with tempura zucchini and mayo; from 'starters' off the lunch menu and had a Rigatoni with slow-braised wagyu beef ragù with pecorino sardo - even though I was dying to try the Maccheroncini cacio e pepe, off the pasta choices.

How could I not go with the obvious choice of Tiramisù classico with Italian mascarpone, marsala and their signature espresso for dessert, to complete my Italian experience! The calamari looks a little paler than I'm used to, but it was absolutely tender and cooked to perfection, topped only by the tempura zucchini that accompanied it. The tempura batter was light, it had just the right mix of seasoning and wasn't oily and dense. I could have happily had a full bowl of just tempura zucchini as my Mains, as I just wanted more. Nonna's meatballs were moist and light with just the right amount of density that didn't weigh them down as being too heavy. All pasta is made fresh in-house every day, and as expected, the rigatoni was perfect to the bite. However I seem to have gone off 'meat' lately, and even though the whole meal with wagyu ragù was rich, savoury, and tender to the bite, I still want to go back for that cacio e pepe. And don't you worry about that beef sauce, there were plenty on offer to lick it clean off the plate.

I had dessert choices of a torta cake, gelato with chocolate crumble and affogato with vanilla gelato then began to wonder if I made the right choice of getting the popular tiramisù which we are all so familiar with, and wondered if I should have gone with something different. Stop that thought right there! I didn't need to second guess myself at all as what was on my palate was rich, with a generous taste but right amount of masala, and espresso, and perfect density that was a joy to eat. After all that, I didn't waste time in asking for a dinner menu to see what I could look forward to for my next visit. This is the place, the restaurant to be at, if you want to please your palate and prioritise a happy satisfied belly. You can look up all the menus yourself here to see what's on offer that you might find tempting.

Though we didn't drink, OGI has a magnificent wine list which is a must to accompany great pasta. They revel in having a selection of Italian wines chosen from small independent winemakers that prefer natural wine-making procedures, with the least possible intervention. On the other side of the restaurant, the wall is lined with bottles of wine, and a deli section, plus takeaway meals you can buy off the counter. Exuding rustic charm, OGI is owned by Claudio Casoni who commandeered the store next door and opened OGI, doubling his espresso bar in size and in offerings. Artisan, authentic and open all day, championing perfection in its simplicity, it's a 'go-to' if you want that true Italian experience. Sounds like the perfect place to book into, before you embark on your nightlife on Chapel Street. Stay in touch on social media and check out their Facebook page for interesting content. I'm certainly excited to have discovered OGI.