Vino is conveniently located on the city fringe on the popular Unley Road cafe precinct. Having eaten at many of the neighbouring restaurants, it was time to pay this place a visit. A quick glance at the menu through the window suggests a fairly authentic menu with a good selection of pizzas, pastas, seafood and meat dishes.

There’s a lot of rustic charm about this place. The red and white checkered table cloths, the candles in the wine bottles and the terracotta walls, remind me of some of the places I visited in Italy. The whole scene is completed as they bring the specials board over to your table.

For dinner, I ordered the Calzone Rustico. The dough was firm with a nice thin consistency. With a lightly browned exterior, you could taste the subtle smokey flavours from the wood oven. The filling consisted of an all star cast of gourmet ingredients that were cooked to perfection. The dish was then topped with a delicious old fashioned bolognese sauce which provided good balance.

My friend ordered the Osso Bucco alla Romana, which is veal shanks slowly baked in a rich red wine, tomato, onions, carrots, potatoes, fresh rosemary, garlic and gremolata. The meat was tender and succulent, and the flavours were just right.

The staff were friendly and accommodating, and the service was exceptional. The staff members were quite knowledgeable about what was on offer, drinks were constantly refilled and plates were cleared as we finished. Service was attentive but not intrusive, which is the way it should be. The atmosphere was fantastic and the pricing is slightly higher than average, although the experience is worth it. The Calzone Rustico was $24.50, while the Osso Bucco was $29.80. Both dishes were well executed with premium quality ingredients used.

I found very little to fault with this place. An enjoyable experience was had by all.

WHERE: 46 Unley Rd, Unley