Vapiano

Since I now have a “food blog” and talk about food 24/7 on Twitter, I was one of the elite invited to the opening of new Australian/Italian Restaurant, Vapiano.  It had been a good 6 weeks since I had headed into the CBD, seeing as school holidays were mostly spent on either Coast, in leisure and laziness.

I excitedly donned my new fave dressy dress from Myers, and with equally glam friend in tow, headed off to Vapiano for what I imagined would be a quiet and intimate dinner with fellow foodies and restaurateurs. Boy, did I get that wrong.

Firstly, forget “elite” – the place was chocka. No reflection on the people attending though, they were certainly glam enough and I had a good time watching the parade of frocks and stilettos.  And forget “quiet” – the place was buzzing, with so much chit chat it sent me running upstairs in search of a quiet spot where I could hear myself think!

Food bloggers must be in good supply I reasoned, so I whipped out the trusty iPhone and started snapping pics, and yes, I still got odd looks, so maybe not in the heavy supply that I imagined.

Anyway, I believe you are probably just interested in the food and restaurant right? So let me cut to the nitty gritty.

Vapiano, as stated before, is “a little Italian, a little Australian” – restaurant, situated in the new Albert Lane, which sits between Mary and Queen Street, just up from Hungry Jacks.  This is a seriously cool little alleyway, housing around 2 – 3 other eating establishments.  Sitting at the end of what could be called the Cul-de-sac is Vapiano.  I’m not sure why I had the impression that it was going to be small, because it certainly isn’t.

One of Vapianos "nooks"

Set over two floors, with various levels within the floors, the restaurant has a variety of spaces and atmospheres, depending on your particular inclination. You could lounge in a vibrant red zone, or recline on a couch in the subdued black zone, featuring framed old Italian pics, or perch on a barstool upstairs, overlooking the alley below.    You could choose to get to know your neighbour better, sitting in a communal setting, or perhaps keep it intimate at your own table.

On the ground floor you will find the serving stations and one of the bars.  The serving station consists of three pasta stations, one pizza station, and one salad and antipasto station.  You will be given your very own swipe card, and you use this to order at any of the stations and the bar, then to pay, on leaving. Yes that means you do not have to split your table bill and have the awkward add up at the end of the night. Easy.  Staff will not be taking your order, you look after the business end yourself, but the table is cleared by staff.  This suits me, (I like to be in charge) but may not suit everyone.

Serving Stations - Pasta, Pizza and Antipasto and Salad

After taking advantage of the complimentary Bellini’s and magnificent NZ Sauvignon Blanc, glam friend and I tottered down to the serving stations and ordered a pizza. You wait as the pizza is prepared, however, considering the masses of people, we did not have a long wait – 5minutes max.  The staff worked quickly and efficiently, and it was reassuring to watch your food being prepared before your eyes. Glam friend and I were embarrassed at the massive size of the pizzas we hauled back upstairs, and tried to ignore the gaping stares.  We soon attracted seagulls (of the human variety) that were too lazy to go down to order their own pizza, so we were saved from the total carb damage that could have been.  I ordered the Vegetarian pizza – not such a great choice.  While the base was superb, the topping, roast vegies, were a little soggy.  Glam friend ordered superbly with the BBQ chicken pizza – this was a great choice, and I kindly helped her finish it.

Rather larged sized pizzas! Note the basil on top - I did that .....

On each table you will find a selection of fresh herbs in pots – basil and rosemary, as well as chilli oil and balsamic vinegar, allowing you to add your own condiments.  This is a simple, yet very endearing touch, especially when you can actually view the nursery from where the herbs grew!  Another great touch is knowing that most of the food is sourced within a 150km radius of the restaurant.

While seriously stuffed with pizza, we went the extra mile and had the Tiramisu, which had a very strong coffee flavour and was demolished within minutes, and then finished the night with Limincello liquor.

Potted herbs on each table with a tab that reads "Please eat me"

A great night, and certainly somewhere I’d return, and this time try the pasta as I heard rave reviews that night.  Despite the size of the restaurant, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and I found it to be a tactile experience, loving the live Olive tree set in the middle of the restaurant, the nursery, and pots of herbs on every table.