Jamie’s Italian Brisbane has launched its $15 Wednesday special of pasta and prosecco – a pairing that we could not wait to try out for ourselves.
Pasta fiends have the choice of five varieties of fresh Italian flare – there are classics like Gennaro’s Tagliatelle Bolognese, a rich pork and beef red wine sauce, slow cooked, topped with pangrattato and parmesan; and the rigatoni Carbonara with golden smoky pancetta, cracked black pepper and a healthy dose of parmesan. Our hostess raved about the “Famous Prawn Linguine” – and so do we after half our table ordered the bowl of ripe, juicy goodness – of garlicky prawns with fresh tomatoes, fennel, saffron, fresh chilli (warning: there is definitely a kick) and rocket. The Spicy Sausage Pappardelle with free range pork and fennel ragu, Quattro Stelle ‘nduja, green, chilli and pecorino also clears the sinuses, but the Spaghetti Alla Norma, a classic Sicillian dish combining eggplant, chilli and basil in a rich tomato sauce with hard ricotta was the crowd favourite. We were spoilt for choice – but the tipple of prosecco made the selection process all the more easier.
After the rush of parking in the city, and enjoying the quiet charm of Jamie’s restaurant, we were easily persuaded in to staying for a sweet treat. Our decision skills were put to the test, as we ordered an assortment of plates to share. First was the Poached Seasonal Pear, with the perfect balance of sweet and tart, served with sweet ricotta, butterscotch sauce and toasted pistachios for added crunch. A delicious pairing with the Marsala Tiramisu, a classic Italian dessert with Marsala wine, chocolate shavings and orange zest, made fresh in house with more than two litres of espresso needed for each batch. But the final dessert was the resounding favourite – the Epic Brownie, adequately named, served with “proper chocolate sauce”, vanilla ice cream and caramelised amaretti popcorn. If one dessert is all you can manage, the brownie should be your first choice.
Portions were hearty and the prosecco was light and sparkling – Jamie Italian’s Wednesday special made a perfect pairing for a mid-week treat.
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