Try to walk past II Bacaro when it's in full swing without feeling just a little pang of envy. The simple, stylish dining room is one of the city's most intimate and alluring.
The Age - Good Food Guide 2010
It was a wise person who once commented that good taste never goes out of style and so it is with Il Bacaro, a modern Italian restaurant and bar located in Little Collins Street, Melbourne. After more than a decade of charming diners and reviewers alike with its fine Italian fare, and attracting a cult status among devoted locals, Il Bacaro is now considered an institution, a quintessentially Melbourne dining experience.
With its combination of exceptional food and wine, sophisticated Venetian-inspired good looks and old-style professional service, it is no surprise that Il Bacaro is regarded as one of Melbourne’s premier Italian establishments.
Antipasti
fiori di zucca del giorno
Zucchini flowers of the day $9 eachformaggio di capra con pomodoro, uova di quaglia e marmellata di mela
Crumbed goats cheese with heirloom tomato, goats cheese foam, quail egg and tomato and apple jam $22calamari st. andrea
Shallow fried calamari with rocket and a balsamic dressing $26crudo di kingfish e ocean trout con uva, bottarga, cetriolo e pepe rosa
Kingfish and ocean trout crudo with bottarga mayonnaise, grapes, pickled cucumber and pink peppercorns $26carpaccio di cervo con pera, nocciola e ricotta
Carpaccio of venison with compressed pear, witlof, hazelnut soil and baked ricotta $24quaglia con fichi, gelato al gorgonzola, pinoli e vin cotto
Seared quail with caramelized fig, blue cheese ice cream, pine nuts and vin cotto $26
Pasta e Risotto
spaghettini con cicale di mare, aglio, “olio visadi” e rucola
Spaghettini with Moreton Bay bugs “olio visadi”, garlic and rocketsml $28 lge $38
quadretti all’ortica con guancia di manzo, carote e parmigiano reggiano
Thistle quadretti with braised wagyu beef cheek, baby carrots and parmigiano reggianosml $28 lge $36
ravioli di formaggio di capra con barbabietola, pistacchio e wasabi
Goats cheese ravioli with beetroot puree, pistachio crumble, baby beetroot and wasabisml $26 lge $34
pappardelle con ragu d’agnello, piselli, tartufo e pecorino
Hand cut pappardelle with lamb ragu, peas, truffle paste and pecorinosml $28 lge $36
risotto di granchio, granoturco e zafferano con midollo, pomodorini e zucchina
Risotto of crab, corn and saffron with bone marrow, cherry tomato and baby zucchinisml $28 lge $38
Secondi
capretto brasato con fagiolini, patate e pecorino al tartufo
Roman-style braised goat with green beans, potato and truffled pecorino $39anatra al forno con puree di pastinaca, barbabietola, mirtillo e balsamico alla mela
Roasted duck breast and baked duck leg with parsnip puree, baby beetroot, cranberry and apple balsamic $42maiale arrosto con puree di cavolofiore, silverbeet e mandorle
Western Plains suckling pork with cauliflower puree, silverbeet, mustard fruits and almonds $42bistecca con cavolo rosso, spuma blu marte e uva passa
350g Wagyu rump with pickled red cabbage, blu marte foam and glazed grapes $44pesce del giorno
Fish of the day - market priceContorni
patate al forno
Roasted potatoes with marjoram, pecorino and garlic $9spinaci in padella con parmigiano
Sautéed spinach with garlic and parmesan $14Insalata
insalata di lattuga e radicchio con ricotta, noce e frutto a nocciolo
Cos lettuce and radicchio salad with ricotta, walnut and stone fruit $14insalata di rucola e finocchio con filetti d’arancia
Rocket and shaved fennel salad with orange and a chardonnay vinaigrette $14
Dolci
panna cotta allo zenzero con ananas caramellato
Ginger panna cotta with caramelized pineapple, crisp ginger bread and citrus sherbet $18torta di formaggio e nettare agave con miele, sorbetto al violetto e zucchero filato
Agave nectar cheesecake with honeycomb, chocolate pop rocks, violet sorbet and fairy floss $19budino al cioccolato e nocciola con gelato al menta verde
Valrhona chocolate and hazelnut praline pudding with aerated chocolate and spearmint ice cream $20semifreddo di cocco e limetta
Lime and coconut semifreddo with white chocolate jelly and passion fruit and coco bean sorbet $19Formaggi
occelli testun al barolo
This specialty of Piedmont is aged in traditional wooden barrels containing the grape skins of Barolo wine. The marinade leaves a purple stain and a distinctive wine barrel flavour $18blu marte
This cheese is made in small quantities, using a select mixture of curd from morning and evening cows milk. With a thick, dense and creamy texture, this is a mildly spiced cheese for blue cheese lovers $15taleggio di bufala
A version of Taleggio made from buffalo milk, this cheese is matured in damp caves for 30 days. The cheese slowly develops a thin orange rind and inside, a slightly sweet, dense creamy paste $15We look forward to welcoming you to Il Bacaro. For bookings or more information, please contact us.
168-170 Little Collins Street
Melbourne 3000
T 03 9654 6778 (for reservations)
E info@ilbacaro.com.au
