Rosetta Ristorante

Wow! Was I dining at the same restaurant as these other reviews … Crazy over priced and very average food. We dined at 10:30 at night so I am assume it may not be the same chef. Terrible meal — so many other better options in Melbourne

Ricotta cheese starter was sublime, and also got the excellent grilled Whiting since it was in season.
Choice of white wines by the glass was not exactly ideal though.

Very friendly staff. Great ambiance.
Food is amazing. And wine list comprehensive.
Highly recommended.

Rosetta Ristorante is definitely a great Italian joint and considered one of the best restaurants in Melbourne per the Gourmet traveler. It’s located inside the Crown Casino. The patio has a great view of the Yarra river and architecture of Melbourne. The patio tables pretty comfortable and are covered with white table cloth.
Now, the food. There was no tasting menu and everything on the menu was a la carte. We tried many things on the item but I’m going to focus on my favorite items.
1) Spaghetti (aka Spaghetti) — The squid ink spaghetti was definitely tasty and full of flavor. It was a bit salty but it wasn’t overbearing where it overpowered the pasta. It was a step down from a la dente and topped with Cloudy Bay clams. The clams were a nice touch and definitely complemented the spaghetti. The only other spaghetti that was better was from Olive Garden.
2) Polipo (aka Octopus) — Octopus and potato salad with capers, lemon and parsley. This was definitely tasty. It was very zesty and tangy. It was a bit gamy for me. It reminded me of something that should be serve in Spring or Summer time in a patio. Wait never mind. I dined here in the patio the first week of December which is Oz’s Summer.
3) Maialino de Latte (aka Suckling Pig) — I have to say this is one of my favorite Suckling Pigs I ever had. The outer shell was crispy and there was a crunch in every bite. The meat was pale and tender. It was laid over a bed of greens which I didn’t reallly notice until I ate all of the pig. Who eats veggies anyways?
The service was mixed to be honest. I didn’t like the hostess giving us a weird look when we came in with jeans and sneakers. I get it. You’re one of the best restaurants in Melbourne and apart of the Rockpool group, BUUUT you have not been validated with a Michelin star or even made it on the Sam Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurant list. Relax and calm the F down.
However, our waiter was more than helpful and accommodating. He knew the menu and had recommendations. He explained the menu very well since some of my cousins never really dined at an Italin restaurant. I’m pretty sure they have but they’re not foodies aka fatties like myself.
Overall, it was a good dining experience and I definitely enjoyed the meal. I would have to say it ranks fairly high with me for Italian restaurants. It’s definitely better than Mario Batali’s Babbo Risorante in New York, which used to have a Michelin star.

Rosetta is a proper high level Italian restaurant right up to the waiter we had. Menu is innovative and mostly northern Italian (which I prefer), i.e. less blind reliance on red sauce typical of south Italy. You expect quality at a Neil Perry restaurant and Rosetta does not disappoint. Wine list is massive, mostly stocked with (IMO) overpriced Italian reds. But I found a wonderful SA red that mimic’d a Chianti Classico Riserva — so was happy. My first course was a really good tagliatelle with chicken livers and mushrooms. Second dish was supposed to be a wild hare («lepre») but sure looked a lot like venison to me. Still good though. All expertly cooked. Service was just about perfect. Rosetta sits on the Yarra river bank and we sat outside — very pleasant for dining, plus the attractions of strolling passersby (and those fire jets things they have along the river…).

Rosetta is one of Neil Perry’s restaurants located in the Southbank precinct. Rows of red leather banquettes with plush red and gold cushions line the inside, with a more casual wicker chair and wooden booth setup on the outside terrace facing the river. It’s Italian, so the dulcet strains of Dean Martin singing Arrivederci Roma as I walked in seemed completely appropriate.
My waitress was friendly and more than capable of answering all my questions about the menu, but at an upmarket place like this it would have been surprising if she couldn’t. I ordered the Vitello alla Valdaostana; crumbed veal loin stuffed with prosciutto and Tallegio. This consisted of two thin pieces of veal, some coleslaw and a wedge of lemon.
The veal was quite tasty, though not as tender as I was expecting, and overall a little dry — I thought it would have benefited from some more cheese in the filling — and the coleslaw didn’t really add anything to the dish. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing, or maybe the chef was just having an off day, but to be honest, I’ve had better Parmas at the pub.

The visit by a friend in WA was the perfect excuse to visit Rosetta along with my partner and company.
The initial entry to the location is quite impressive — verification I reservation — move to the tables in the patio — menus and wine list and Fe sommelier taking position at my table at the ready with suggestions.
I know this restaurant is a wine spectator restaurant with awesome credentials when it comes to the selection I Vinos. I have been told they have the finest wine selection from Italy so how could I go wrong?
I selected a fine Tuscan red blend for the
table and it was amazing! The service and ensuring our glasses were never empty was impeccable.
The food was to die for! From the carpaccio de Mano to the grilled whiting with veggies, I could not be disappointed.
The desserts were spectacular — coconut chocolate cake and tiramisu for the table was amazing and the double shots of McClellan 18 were out of this world; especially the large spherical ice globes in the glass. Felt like Captain Kirk in the scene from the last Star Trek movie…
I will be coming back soon! Yes we dropped some coin but well worth it!

Typical pleasant Melbourne summer evening, Crown Complex, Southbank, $ 50.00 Valet Parking, offset by the opulent setting of Rosetta Ristorante overlooking Yarra River and the awesome City Skyline, so what could go wrong?
So we enter the restaurant, yes, we’ve booked for 10 and added in the last minute 9 more; 19 people — good for business for your boss Mr. Perry right? So we are OK to split the group different part of the restaurant even waited for the other table to be ready. First we were told; it will be 2 tables of 5 and 4, before 9pm, we are happy; while waiting, a table of 9 is ready, even better. All good until this mid-​age lady manageress took over the arrangement; the table is not ready now, they are having desserts now it will be after 9pm, as I said 20 more minutes or more, can you go out for a walk and come back, you are blocking the traffic; surely we were creating traffic jam like the Eastern Freeway Hoddle St exit in the morning while we are sitting in the waiting lounge while all the other guests are sitting down having their meals. Can you imagine if no-​one is patronising this place that there would not be a managerial position for you? Are you seriously thinking there aren’t any other restaurants in town then we can patronise and spend our money there?
So I get to the first table while the other 9 are waiting for their table. The waiter comes and says, «Everyone’s here? Are you guys ready to order?» Seriously … «guys» to address your guests in this opulent setting? He went on, «Let me explain the menu» Great to hear that you are going to help us understand this fancy Italian menu as most of us can only speaks 2 other languages besides English but not Italian. So he went on, all Entrées are on the left, we can make the pasta as a main for extra cost, we have 3 birds, Chicken for $ 39, Duck for $ and Partridge for $ … one of the host asked, «Can I have this instead of this?» The waiter replied, «You certainly can for $ more, etc. etc.» It’s all about the «$». you must listen to Jesse J’s «Pricetag», Mr. Waiter, ain’t about the cha ching cha ching. Then again, let’s pause for a minute here; I’m sure we can read the menu and the «$» sign is there, wouldn’t we be here if we can’t afford it. Intimidating pleasantry doesn’t work within our group, the «guys» that you are referring to daily deals with hundreds of million $ business deals and sitting in your fine establishment where you are making a wage.
As the other table is ready, now around 9.30pm I decided to move; the wait and un-​pleasantry is not conducive to enjoying a great meal. I think I’ve made the right decision; the waiter was fantastic, pleasant, helpful with the menu … we just go straight to main meal as time is the enemy.
On the food, YES, I can love your $ 56 Sirloin Steak… Med-​Rare perfectly grilled with a glass of Sangiovese — 2010 Fiorini Chianti Superiore, Tuscany It
Entrées are fantastic; Tonno $ 26 — Yellow fin tuna with roast tomato, garlic and lemon, Manzo $ 25 — Beef Carpaccio, spring garlic, parmesan and baby Cos lettuce; those wholesome Garlics, yum.
Polpette al forno Polpette al fornooro $ 19 Meat balls oven baked in a tomato sauce, can’t go wrong the kids loves them.
Griglia Mista di Mareare $ 45 — Charcoal grilled prawns, calamari, baby octopus, and mussels with extra virgin olive oil and lemon, love the mixture.
The $ 10 sides — Patate — Crispy potatoes with garlic and rosemary salt and Fagioli — Long cooked Romano beans with gremolata are great addition to the main, albeit the over-​cooked beans.
I tried my wife’s Maiale $ 49 — Nine hour roast pork ribs with green tomato agrodolce; the meat was a little too dried but tender and good.
Also my daughter’s Pappardelle $ 32 Ragú Bolognese, that is yum, just a touch thinner/​runnier sauce and chili would be perfect for me.
Pity I can’t have dessert after waiting for more than an hour to get a table… Torrone al Cioccolato — Frozen chocolate, peanut and coconut semi freddo, raincheck.
Then again, would I go back there, even if it’s a Neil Perry’s signature restaurant?

A trip to Melbourne isn’t complete without strolling along southbank. So many new places have popped up since I was last in town! I am a huge fan of Neil Perry’s restaurants and so his newer addition to the group was a must visit. Rosetta is an incredibly beautiful space that takes you back to another era. You can totally imagine old school mafia dons meeting in the plush velvet armchairs over a food laden table. The food here is just as beautiful as the setting and while some people have said it is overpriced I believe the value for money is exceptional. Service as always was ourstanding and I can’t wait to visit again.

Finally made it to Rosetta for dinner and we were so glad we did.
There really is a wow factor here. The place could so easily have been ott with mirrored vertical features soaring from floor to high ceiling offsetting white swagged curtains and in your face layered white chandeliers, white marble bar with oxblood graining etc. This excess is tempered by a zigzag muted coloured carpet, superbly comfortable tan leather armchairs and dark red velvety banquettes with cushions which actually support your back.
The carpets and window drapes absorb noise so you can actually hear the Italian vocals. Take note some of our noisier restaurants. Table top is kept clean and crisp with white cloths and napkins, good cutlery, fine glassware and lightly embossed white plates. Every detail has been thought through to created a luxurious but non threatening environment.
Now that’s just the ambience, the food and service is every bit as important.
Our waiter brought the menus and wine list and helped us with some good suggestions. The menu is laid out in the Italian way, antipasti, primi, secondi, contorni, dolce and formaggio. The Wine list is a little long for me, but has excellent Australian and Italian wines listed also by grape variety. We had a very acceptable T’Gallant Pinot Grigio which didn’t break the bank although there are some exceptional and expensive wines available if you are feeling more expansive.
We started with delicious polpette in tomato sauce and crostini with Buffalo mozzarella on broad bean mash, eggplant with anchovy and cherry tomato and ricotta. Then risotto with walnuts sorrel and goats cheese for our vegetarian, a broad pasta with salsicce of pork and fennel, broccoli, garlic and chilli and porcetta, pork loin slow roasted with lentils. Another dish was 5 tender lamb cutlets. A bowl of broccoli and leeks and a bowl of rosemary scented roast potatoes accompanied round out the secondi. Desserts tried were the sublime chocolate torta, gelati and a panacotta with rhubarb and strawberries. Perhaps simple dishes are the hardest to get right in a restaurant where the produce has to be superb to elevate the food out of the ordinary. Rosetta did it and with a minimum of fuss. Service was quietly efficient and friendly. The place ran like a well oiled machine.
I could rave longer about flavours etc but go and enjoy yourself.

Spending five hours at the newly opened Rosetta at Crown after a very relaxing four hour long relaxing lunch at Pei Modern was not so much a challenge but a test of my intestinal fortitude. In the end my senses won on all fronts.
Neil Perry has spent a fair amount of capital to design and retrofit Rosetta. It is now one of my favourite places in Melbourne when I think about ambiance. It is a very smart fit-​out where the red lounge backs encourage you to order more, the subtly patterned carpet makes you want to eat more and the enthusiastic and very professional staff make you want to drink more. Given that I visited Rosetta on its opening night, I felt that the place had been open and succeeding for years. That is the Perry formula once again delivering for all of us in Melbourne. Seeing him in the restaurant and doing what he does best makes me want to have him as a permanent fixture in Victoria.
Proceedings commenced with cocktails followed by Riccoila de Pacifico (Hiramasa kingfish, capers, tomato and chilli) ($ 26) and the Insalata di Mare (Seafood salad) ($ 35) which was a cold yet vibrant way to start tasting the gamut of dishes matched with the 2011 Jankarra Verminino from the south of Italy. I must admit, that I have never fully appreciated food from this region however starting this way left me longing for more. After consulting with the sommelier who is ex-​Waiting room (The Waiting Room has since matriculated peacefully from the Neil Perry empire to Crown) I knew this was going to be a long-​haul experience for appreciating everything that Neil and Italy had on offer. I was not disappointed.
The Ricotta Fresca ($ 16) followed and I have to say it was the best bloody Ricotta that I have ever had. It continued to successfully pair with the 2011 Jankarra Werminino whilst the service remained extremely professional and cheerful. Throughout the night we would be serviced by three people, 90% by the primary server, Mario, who was one of the most professional servers that I have encountered in my life. I appreciated the fact that he introduced himself when he greeted us, shook our hands and appreciated us as gentlemen and remained patient if not amused whilst we slurped wine and ordered across the menu like a drunken sailor shooting arrows at a dugong. The art of service introducing themselves I thought was long-​gone but Neil Perry has resurrected this concept and for that I am pleased if not grateful.
Lobster roasted tomato, mint and chilli Fettuccine ($ 65) was ordered next and matched with a 2010 Terre Metre Nerello Mascalese… a Rose of all things. Such a brilliant pairing that it made me giddy. Poor jokes were then told. I offended the people around me and they left as I was so boisterous and happy. I don’t think my neighbours were big tippers because our server Mario did not seem phased and more interested in taking care of our hedonistic needs. I apologise to them now for making too much noise and being too happy.
We reverted back to Antipasti and had a very tasty Brasato di Tonno (Braised tuna with green peppers and farro) ($ 29) and I found the way the kitchen used the peppers with the fresh tuna a cheeky and absolutely perfect compliment. This is not spicy or Mexican food per se, but it is a chilli extenuating tuna. It is hard to describe but it is something worth trying. You will not regret it.
Meatballs then had to be ordered en lieu of dessert. The Polpette al forne (Meat Balls oven baked in a tomato sauce) ($ 19) was finally ordered. This is when I used blasphemy and regretted ever visiting Meatball & Wine Bar. No offence to Meatball & Wine Bar but Rosetta’s meat balls are simply the most aromatic as I have ever had the pleasure of smelling and as firm as a woman’s breast after getting an implant. I could have started and finished with these and have been one happy man regardless of the wine matching, service or ambiance.
My stomach was so engorged at the end of this epicurean journey that I could not bare ordering more and believe me there were heaps of offerings available that I wanted and I still long for whilst writing this. I really can’t wait to return and I will leave a trail of saliva from my unit to the Crown and I can only hope that the council will clean up after me since Rosetta is going to make me act irresponsibly and also be my new local since The Waiting Room is now a thing of memories.
I predict that Rosetta will not only get at least two hats in the next Age Good Food Guide ²⁰¹³⁄₂₀₁₄ but I will be so bold to predict that Rosetta will win «Best New Restaurant» — Neil has another winner and I am so happy he has another restaurant in Melbourne now for all of us to enjoy.

Tonight was the opening night of Rosetta, the latest offering from Neil Perry of The Rockpool Group — and it was fantastic! We were the first booking, and I was the first in the door when the opened to the public — a more complete review will follow, but, I wanted to get this into Unilocal as soon as possible.
The staff is a mix of Sydney Rockpool Group staff, The Waiting Room staff, as well as staff from Spice Temple and Rockpool Bar and Grill Melbourne — and, of course, some new faces. They are still finding their way with the layout, the menu, and each other, but tonight’s opening was truly a joy to behold.
Pictures and more to follow, and I would give this 5 stars, but I felt that being opening night there is always something to learn and improve upon.
Neil Perry was present for the evening, and was a fantastic host. Those of us who are «fans» will feel right at home. The menu is focussed, delicious, traditionally inspired, but creatively enhanced. The wine list is just right for the venue, and the desserts, well, YES PLEASE ALL OF THE ABOVE.
Right, that’s it for now. Really, just, wow, great start to what I truly hope will be a fantastic addition to Melbourne’s foodie landscape. Great job Neil and crew, looking forward to the next visit!
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Update December 31^st 2012:
My wife and I have just finished our last meal of the year at Rosetta and it was the best yet. The entire meal was flawless; three hours of the best wine, food and service that you can get in Melbourne. I promised to update the review as soon as the crew had hit their stride, and boy, have they.
There’s a sense of flow between the staff and the location that only comes as people get to know one another and their environment. They know how to duck and weave, how to give way to patrons, to people carrying food and drink, and this «coming together» is reflected in all parts of Rosetta now.
For dinner we started by sharing the Insalata di Mare — both my wife and I loved every bite, but the scampi was probably our mutual highlight here.
Next, we shared one of the primi dishes: Tagliarini Neri. Described as «Hand picked warm mud crab with fresh chilli and lemon zest» the dish is likely one of the more complicated ones to prepare — that hand picking is tedious work, and the server did say that since it’s not done by machine, there may be a bit or two in the mix that isn’t expected. We were more than fine with that, and in our case, no issues. The pasta was absolutely perfect and we both found ourselves using bits of bread to get as much of the lemon/​oil as possible. This was probably our favourite dish at Rosetta to date.
My wife went with the Maccheroni Giganti and I went with the Anatra — they slightly changed it, now it is served with braised cherries; last time we visited it was peaches and vinaigrette. I must say, I preferred it with the cherries. The skin was crispy, the flavour spectacular.
We finished with some of the gelato (wow), and of course had a bottle of wine with our meal — but the experience at Rosetta has, to us, reached that level of enjoyment that is about far more than just the meal itself, it’s the interaction with the staff, the way they truly seem to enjoy their jobs, and how much we look forward to going back as soon as we can.